Collins Cobuild English Grammar (149 page)

I’ll teach you,
if you want
.
You can leave
if you like
.

things that might happen in the future

8.32
     When you are talking about something that might happen in the future, you use the
present simple
in the conditional clause, and will or shall in the main clause.

If I
survive
this experience, I’
ll
never
leave
you again.

Willie
will
never
achieve
anything unless he
is pushed
.

USAGE NOTE

8.33
     A more formal way of talking about a possible future situation is to use
should
in the conditional clause. For example, instead of saying
If anything happens, I will return immediately
, you can say
If anything should happen, I will return immediately
. In the main clause you use a modal, usually
will
or
would
.

If that
should
happen, you
will
be blamed.

Another way of talking about a possible future situation is to use
were
and a
to
-infinitive in a conditional clause. For example, instead of saying
If he goes, I will go too
, you can say
If he were to go, I would go too
. In the main clause you use
would
,
should
, or
might
.

If we
were to move
north, we
would
be able to buy a bigger house.

unlikely situations

8.34
     When you are talking about an unlikely situation, you use the
past simple
in the conditional clause, and
would
,
should
, or
might
in the main clause.

The older men
would
find it difficult to get a job if they
left
the farm.
I
should
be surprised if it
was
less than five pounds.
If I
frightened
them, they
might
run away and I
would
never see them again.

In the conditional clause,
were
is sometimes used instead of
was
, especially after
I
.

If I
were
a guy, I
would
look like my dad.
If I
were asked
to define my condition, l’
d
say bored.

what might have been

8.35
     When you are talking about something that might have happened in the past but did not happen, you use the
past perfect
in the conditional clause. In the main clause, you use
would have
,
could have
,
should have
, or
might have
.

Perhaps if he
had realized
that, he
would have
run away while there was still time.
If she
had not been ill
, she
would
probably
have
won that race.

putting the verb first

8.36
     In formal or literary English, if the first verb in an
if
-clause is
should
,
were
, or
had
, this verb is sometimes put at the beginning of the clause and
if
is omitted. For example, instead of saying
If any visitors should come, I will say you are not here
, someone might say
Should any visitors come, I will say you are not here
.

Should
ministers demand an inquiry, we would welcome it.
Were
it all true, it would still not excuse their actions.
Were
they to stop advertising, prices would be significantly reduced.
Had
I known how important it was, I would have filmed the occasion.

USAGE NOTE

8.37
     Instead of using a conditional clause containing the word
be
, you can sometimes use a phrase consisting of
if
followed by an adjective or a prepositional phrase. For example, instead of saying
We will sell the car, if it is necessary
, you can say
We will sell the car, if necessary
.

This unfortunate situation is to be avoided
if possible
.
If I were innocent, I’d rather be tried here;
if guilty
, in America.
If in doubt
, ask at your local library.

necessary conditions

8.38
     If you want to say that one situation is necessary for another, you use
provided
,
providing
,
as long as
,
so long as
, or
only if
.
Provided
and
providing
are often followed by
that
.

Ordering is quick and easy
provided
you have access to the internet.
Provided that
it’s not too much money I’d love to come to Spain.
The oven bakes magnificent bread
providing
it is hot enough.
They are happy for the world to stay as it is,
as long as
they are comfortable.
These activities can flourish
only if
agriculture and rural industry are flourishing.

When you are using
only if
, you can put the
only
in the main clause, separated from the
if
. For example, instead of saying
I will come only if he wants me
, you can say
I will only come if he wants me
.

He told them that disarmament was
only
possible
if
Britain changed her foreign policy.

Another way of saying that one situation is necessary for another is to use a
conditional clause
consisting of
if
followed by the subject, a form of
be
, and a
to
-infinitive clause. In the main clause, you say what is necessary using
must
.

It’s late, and
if I am to get any sleep
I
must
go.
If you are to escape
, you
must
leave me and go on alone.

8.39
     If you want to say that one situation would not affect another, you can use
even if
.

I would have married her
even if
she had been penniless.
Even if
you don’t get the job this time, there will be many exciting opportunities in the future.

Even if
is also used in
concessive clauses
. This is explained in paragraph
8.67
.

8.40
     If you want to say that a situation would not be affected by any of two or more things, you use
whether
. You put
or
between the different possibilities.

Catching a frog can be a difficult business,
whether
you’re a human
or
a bird
or
a reptile.
Whether
you go to a launderette
or
do your washing at home, the routine is the same.

If you want to say that what happens would not be affected by either of two opposite situations, you use a clause beginning with
whether or not
.

Whether or not
people have religious faith, they can believe in the power of love.
I get an electrician to check all my electrical appliances every autumn,
whether or not
they are giving trouble.

Or not
can be put at the end of the clause.

Whether
I agreed
or not
, the search would take place.

USAGE NOTE

8.41
      When the verb in a
whether
-clause is
be
, the
subjunctive
is sometimes used. When you use the subjunctive, you use the
base form
of a verb rather than the third person singular. This is considered rather formal in British English, but is common in American English.