Compare these examples:

(1) usA: Shall we go by bus or by train? If we go by bus,

JESS: If we go by bus, it will be cheaper. it will be cheaper.

For jess, it is possible that they will go by bus,

so she says:
If we go by bus, it will be ...

USA }ESS

(2) Lisa and jess decide to go by train.

Later, jess talks to joe. If we went by bus, it would be cheaper.
JOE : How are you going to travel?
JESS : We're going by train. If we went by bus,
it would be cheaper, but the train is quicker.
Now jess knows they are not going to travel by bus,
so she says:
If we went by bus, it would be .. . (not If we go ... ) }OE }ESS

When we imagine something that will not happen, or we

don't expect that it will happen, we use if+ past
(if we went I if there was I if you found etc.).
But the meaning is not past:
0 What would you do if you won a lot of money?
(we don't really expect this to happen)
0 If there was (or were) an election tomorrow,
who would you vote for?
For if .. . was/were, see Unit 39C.
Compare if I find and if I found:
0 I think I left my watch at your house. If you find it, If 1won a lot of money ...
can you call me?
but If you found a wallet in the street, what would you do with it?

We do not normally use would in the if-part of the sentence:

0 I'd be very scared if somebody pointed a gun at me. (not if somebody would point)
0 If we went by bus, it would be cheaper. (not If we would go)
But you can use if ... would when you ask somebody to do something:
C (from a forma/letter) I would be grateful if you would Let me know your decision as soon
as possible.

In the other part of the sentence (not the if-part) we use would ('d) I wouldn't:
0 What would you do if you were bitten by a snake?
0 I'm not goi ng to bed yet. I'm not tired. If I went to bed now, I wouldn't sleep.
0 Would you mind if I used your phone?
Could and might are also possible:
0 If I won a lot of money, I might buy a house. (= it is possible that I would buy a house)
0 If it stopped raining, we could go out. (=we would be able to go out)

Units 21-22 If and Unit ZSD Would Unit 36 If I Unit 39

If I had Unit 40
Exercises
What do you say in these situations?
1 Of course you don't expect to win the lottery. Which do you say?
a If I win the lottery, I'll buy a big house. D
b If I won the lottery, I'd buy a big house. 0 (b is correct)
2 You're not going to sell your car because it's old and not worth much . Which do you say?
a If I sell my car, I won't get much money for it. D
b If I sold my car, I wouldn't get much money for it. D
3 You often see Sarah. A friend of yours wants to contact her. Which do you say?
a If I see Sarah, I'll tell her to call you. D
b If I saw Sarah, I'd tell her to call you. D
4 You don't expect that there w ill be a fire in the building. W hich do you say?
a What w ill you do if there is a fire in the building? D
b What would you do if there was a fire in the building? D
5 You've never lost your passport. You can only imagine it.
a I don't know what I'll do if I lose my passport. D
b I don't know what I'd do if I lost my passport. D
6 Somebody stops you and asks the way to a bank. Which do you say?
a If you go right at the end of this street, you'll see a bank on you r left. D
b If you went right at the end of this street, you'd see a ban k on your left. D
7 You're in a lift. There is an emergency button. Nobody is going to press it. Which do you say?
a What will happen if somebody presses that button? D
b What would happen if somebody pressed that button? D
Put the verb into correct form.
1 I'd be very scared if somebody P9inM. (point) a gun at me.
2 I can't afford to buy a car. If I .... (buy) a car, I'd have to borrow the money.
3 Don't lend Amy your car. If she ... .... ............. (ask) me, I wouldn't lend her mine.
4 If the computer factory closed down, many people ................................................. ...... (lose) their jobs.
5 I don't think Gary and Emma w ill get married. I .................................................... (be) amazed if they did.
6 What would you do if you .. .............. (be) in a lift and it . ..... .. .... .......... (stop)
between floors?
7 If somebody ............................................. (give) me £10,000, I ............ ........................... ... (have) a very long holiday.

Write sentences beginning If ....

1 We've decided not to cat ch the 10.30 train. (arrive too early)
.. If .. .. J0.,.30. ,. ...w.e,_
<i W9. ew..LH..... ...... ....... .. ...... . ..... .... ...... ......................
2 Kevin is not going to do his driving test now. (fa il)
If he ............................ ..... . . ..... ............. ............................. . ........................................ ........................................ .................... ... .. ................... .
3 We've decided not to stay at a hotel. (cost too much)
If .. ........ ........... ......... ..... ..... ......
4 Sally isn't going to leave her j ob. (not I get another one)

5 We've decided not to invite Ben to t he party. (have to invite his friends too)

6 I'm not going to tell him what happened. (not I believe me)

Use your own ideas to complete these sentences.

1 If I won a lot of money, .......1,cl btA.!j ... .... ... . .. . . .......................... .. .. . ................. . . .... . ...... .
2 l'dbeveryangryif .............................................. ..... ........................................ .................... ... ....... .. ............................................. .
3 If you bought a ca r, ................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................
4 I'd be surprised if .................. .......... .............. ..... . .. ................................ .. ................................ ............................................................... .
5 Would you mind if ........................ . . ............... ...... . . . .......................... ...... ....... . ........ ...... .. .................................................

77
Study this example situation:

Sarah wants to phone Paul, but she can't do this because

she doesn't know his number. She says:
If I knew his number, I would phone him.
Sarah says: If I knew his number .... This tells us that she
doesn 't know his number. She is imagining the situation.
The real situation is that she doesn't know his number.

When we imagine a situation like this, we use if+ past (if I knew I if you were I if we didn't etc.).
But the meaning is present, not past:
0 There are many things I'd like to do if I had more t ime. (but I don't have time)
0 If I didn't want to go to the party, I wouldn't go. (but I want to go)
G We wouldn't have any money if we didn't work. (but we work)
0 If you were in my position, what would you do?
0 it's a pity he can't drive. lt would be useful if he could.
We use the past in the same way after wish (I wish I knew I I wish you were etc.). We use wish to
say that we regret something, that something is not as we would like it to be: - - - - - - - - - .
0 I wish I knew Paul's phone number.
(= I don 't know it and I regret this)
0 Do you ever wish you could fly?
(you can't fly)
0 lt rains a lot here. I wish it didn't rain so much.
0 it's very crowded here. I wish there weren't so
many people. (there are a lot of people)
0 I wish I didn't have to work tomorrow, but
unfortunately I do.

If I were I if I was
After if and wish, you can use were instead of was (if I were I I wish it were etc.).
If I was I I wish it was are also possible. So you can say:
0 If I were you, I wouldn't buy that coat. or If I was you, ...
0 I'd go for a walk if it weren't so cold . or ... if it wasn't so co ld.
0 I wish she were here. or I wish she was here.

We do not normally use would in the if-part of the sentence or after wish:
=:, If I were rich, I would travel a lot. (not If I would be rich)
0 Who would you ask if you needed help? (not if you would need)
0 I wish I had something to read. (not I wish I would have)
Sometimes wish .. . would is possible: I wish you would Listen. See Un it 41 .

Could sometimes means 'would be able to' and sometimes 'was/were able to':
0 She could get a better job (she could get= she would be able to get)
if she could speak English . (if she could speak= if she was/were able to speak)
0 I wish I could help you . (I wish I could = I wish I was able)

Could _. Units 26- 27 If I do I if I did _. Unit 38

If I had known I I wish I had known_. Unit 40 Wish _. Unit 41
 Unit
Exercises . 39
Put the verb into the correct form.
1 If . . 1 . ... (I I know) his number, I would phone him.
2 .... J.. __ (I I not I buy) that coat if I were you.
3 .... .. ................. (I I help) you if I could, but I'm afraid I can't.
4 We don't need a car at present, but we would need a car if .. ... .................................... . ....... (we I live)
in the country.
5 If we had the choice, .................. ........................................... ................... (we I live) in the country.
6 This soup isn't very good. ...... . ...... .. .. ..................... (it I taste) better if it wasn't so salty.
7 I wouldn't mind living in England if the weather .. .. .. ..... ... ..... ...... . ........... ..... (be) better.
8 If I were you, .... ................ .......... .. ........... ........... (I I not I wait). ............................. .. ..... (I I go) now.
9 You're always tired . If ................ ..................................... (you I not I go) to bed so late every night,
you wouldn't be tired all the time.
10 I think there are too many cars. If ................. .. ....... ................... ...... .. ... (there I not I be) so many cars,
............... .... .... . ........ ................... . .... . ......... (there I not I be) so much pollution.

Write a sentence with if .. . for each situation.

1 We don't see you very often because you live so far away .
..... .J.f . ....44.n.,_t. . ....?.9 .. f9.-r. . . ... .. H0.0. .... ....o..ften: ....... . ..... . . ............................... . ................. . .
2 it's a nice book but it's too expensive, so I'm not going to buy it.
I ..... .. .. it if ............... ... ..... ... so ........................... ... .. ..........................................
3 We don't go out very often - we can't afford it.
We ........... . . . . ....... .............. ..... . ..... ............................. more often .......................................................................................... ... ..
4 I can't meet you tomorrow - I have to work late.
If .............. .... ....... .. .................................. .. ........................ ........................................................................... ...................... ............ ....................
5 lt would be nice to have lunch outside but it's raining, so we can't.
We ... ................ .... .. ..... .......... .. .. .......................
6 I don't want his advice, and that's why I'm not going to ask for it.
If ............. ................................................................................ ............. ............................................................................................................................. .

Write sentences beginning I wish ....

1 I don't know many people (and I'm lonely) . . I .. ... .l .... .............................. .
2 I don't have a computer (and I need one) . I wish .......................................................................................................
3 Helen isn't here (and I need to see her). ...... .... ...... ... ....... .. ...................................................................................
4 it's cold (and I hate cold weather). .. ................................. ........................................................................................................................... ..
5 I live in a big city (and I don't like it). ............... .................................................................... ......................................................................... .
6 I can't go to the party (and I'd like to). . ......................................................................................................................................
7 I have to get up early tomorrow {but I'd like to sleep late).

8 I don't know anything about ca rs (and my car has just broken down) .

9 I'm not fee ling well (and it's not ni ce).

Write your own sentences beginning I wish .. . .

1 (somewhere you'd like to be now - on the beach, in New York, in bed etc.)
I wish I
2 (something you'd like to have- a motorbike, more friends, lots of money etc.)

3 (something you'd like to be able to do- sing, travel more, cook etc.)

4 (something you 'd like to be - beautiful, strong, younger etc.)

-+ Additional exercises 19- 21 (pages 313- 14) 79