Shahidul Hassan\ Worksheet - 1
If clauses:
1. He will come if you call him. – something will happen if a certain condition is fulfilled.
2. He would come if you called him. – the probable result of a certain condition that we
suppose or imagine. The if clause names action that is not taking place at this moment,
but I can imagine the probable result. We include here all the unreal ifs, like: if you were
a fish, the cat would eat you.
3. He would have come if you had called him – but he didn’t come! Why? Because you
didn’t call him. All number (3) types are impossible ideas, because we know the
condition was not fulfilled, but we like to imagine the result if …
So we have:
Type (1) Main clause – Future; if clause – Present. (Likely or probable.)
Type (2) Main clause – Would; if clause Past. (Unlikely or improbable; imaginary.)
Type (3) Main clause – Would have; if clause – Past Perfect. (Impossible.)
Practice
1. If I come, I shall see you.
2. You will spoil it if you aren’t careful.
3. We would answer if we could.
4. They will get wet if it rains.
5. I would be pleased if you came.
6. If I had known that, I should not have made a mistake.
7. It would have been better if you had waited.
8. If I were you, I should go home immediately.
9. Will you help me if I need you?
10. He would have told you if you had asked him.
11. They would be silly if they did not take this opportunity.
12. If it is fine, I shall go for a swim.
13. If it rained, I would stay at home.
14. I’ll help you if I can.
15. It would have broken if you had not caught it.
16. If you had done as I told you, you would have succeeded.
17. If you did as I told you, you would succeed.
18. You’ll succeed if you do as I tell you.
19. If you are good, I’ll give you a piece of chocolate.
20. If Maria had known English was so difficult, she would never have taken it up.
21. If the rain failed to come, there would be a famine.
22. If you eat too much, you will be ill.
23. You would be ill if you ate too much.
24. If I hadn’t told him, he would never have known.
25. You would catch the train if you left earlier.
26. You will pass your examination if you work hard.
27. If you had left earlier, you would have caught the train.
28. You will catch the train if you leave earlier.
29. If I’d lost my spectacles, I wouldn’t have been able to read.
30. If I were an orange, I should be spherical and juicy.
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