Grammar to go!

Language health-check

Student worksheet: If
Time for your language health-check. Find out how Grammar Scan can
help you achieve greater accuracy. First do the diagnostic tests to check
your knowledge. Then look at the extracts from Practical English Usage
to fill in any gaps.

1. Which of these sentences is/are right?

A. I’ll meet you on the tennis court at 10.00 if it isn’t raining. [ ]
B. I’d be happier if I had more friends. [ ]
C. It had been nice if she had said ‘Thank you’ [ ]
D. I visit my mother on Saturdays if I have time. [ ]
E. If Mary didn’t phone this morning, she’s probably away. [ ]

2. Who is probably the faster runner: Speaker A or Speaker B?

A. ‘If I win this race ….. ‘ [ ]
B. ‘If I won this race …’ [ ]
(Upper Intermediate Test 20)

3. How could you make this question more polite by changing two words?
Will it be all right if I bring a friend?

4. Right or wrong?
A. I’ll work late tonight if it’s necessary. [ ]
B. I’ll work late tonight if necessary. [ ]
C. If you are in doubt, ask me for help. [ ]
D. If in doubt, ask me for help. [ ]

(Advanced Test 20)

5. What is the best description of this use of will?

If you will eat so much, it’s not surprising you feel ill.
A. futurity [ ]
B. possibility [ ]
C. irritating habit [ ]

6. Which two are right?

A. If it hadn’t been for Sue, I don’t know what I would have done. [ ]
B. If there hadn’t been for Sue, I don’t know what I would have done. [ ]
C. If Sue hadn’t been, I don’t know what I would have done. [ ]
D. But for Sue, I don’t know what I would have done. [ ]

© Michael Swan 2010 Photocopiable page 1

 Grammar to go! Language health-check

Student worksheet: If
What are the results?

1. All of them are right except C.

If you thought D or E was wrong, see PEU 256.3 and 257.1.
If you thought C was right, see 256.3 and 259.1.

2. Speaker A (see PEU 258.5)

3. You could change Will to Would and bring to brought.

(see PEU 258.2)

4. All of them are right.

If you thought B and/or D were wrong see PEU 261.6

5. C. (See PEU 260.5)

6. A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Wrong
D. Right
(See PEU 261.3)

What’s the diagnosis?

0-2 correct. It looks like you may still have a lot to learn. You will need to revise the basics in Practical
English Usage.

2-4 correct. Not bad. You have a pretty high language level but there are some gaps. You will need to
study some sections of Practical English Usage.

4-6 correct. Congratulations a very good command of English. Use Grammar Scan and Practical English
Usage to check any tricky points that are still not clear.

© Michael Swan 2010 Photocopiable page 2

 Grammar to go! Language health-check

Here’s the treatment!

If

1. 256.3 ‘first’, ’second’ and ‘third’ conditionals; other structures

Some students’ grammars concentrate on three common sentence structures
with if, which are often called the ‘first’, ‘second’ and ‘third’ conditionals.
‘first conditional’
if + present will + infinitive
If we play tennis I’ll win.
‘second conditional’
if + past would + infinitive
If we played tennis I would win.
‘third conditional’
if + past perfect would have + past participle
If we had played tennis I would have won.
These are useful structures to practise. However, students sometimes think that these are the only
possibilities, and become confused when they meet sentences like If she didn’t phone this morning, then
she’s probably away (‘What’s this? A fourth conditional?’). It is important to realise that if is not only used in
special structures with will and would; it can also be used, like other conjunctions, in ordinary structures with
normal verb forms. For details, see the following sections.

257.1 the same tenses as with other conjunctions

When we are not talking about ‘unreal’ situations (see 258), we use the same tenses with if as with other
conjunctions. Present tenses are used to refer to the present, past tenses to the past, and so on. Compare:
n Oil floats if you pour it on water.
Iron goes red when it gets very hot.
n If John didn’t come to work yesterday, he was probably ill.
As John didn’t come to work yesterday, he was probably ill.
n If you didn’t study physics at school, you won’t understand this book.
Because you didn’t study physics at school, you won’t understand this book.

259.1 if+ past perfect; would have + past participle

To talk about past situations that did not happen, we use a past perfect tense in the if-clause, and would
have + past participle in the other part of the sentence.
If you had asked me, I would have told you.
(NOT If you would have asked me . . .)
(NOT If you asked me . . .) (NOT . . . I had told you.)
If you had worked harder, you would have passed your exam.
I’d have been in bad trouble if Jane hadn’t helped me.

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 Grammar to go! Language health-check

2. 258.5 ordinary tense-use or special tense-use? If I come or if I came?

The difference between, for example, if I come and if I came is not necessarily a difference of time. They
can both refer to the future; but the past tense suggests that a future situation is impossible, imaginary or
less probable. Compare:
n If I become President, I’ll . . . (said by a candidate in an election)
If I became President, I’d . . . (said by a schoolboy)
n If I win this race, I’ll . . . (said by the fastest runner)
If I won this race, I’d . . . (said by the slowest runner)
n Will it be all right if I bring a friend? (direct request)
Would it be all right if I brought a friend? (less direct, more polite)

3. 258.2 if+ past; would + infinitive without to

To talk about unreal or improbable situations now or in the future, we use a past tense in the if-clause (even
though the meaning is present or future), and would + infinitive (without to) in the other part of the
sentence.
If I knew her name, I would tell you. (NOT If I know . . .)
(NOT If I would know . . .) (NOT . . . I will tell you.)
She would be perfectly happy if she had a car.
What would you do if you lost your job?
This structure can make suggestions sound less definite, and so more polite.
It would be nice if you helped me a bit with the housework.
Would it be all right if I came round about seven tomorrow?

4. 261.6 leaving words out after if

We sometimes leave out subject + be after if. Note the common fixed expressions if necessary, if any, if
anything, if ever, if in doubt.
I’ll work late tonight if necessary. (= . . . if it is necessary)
There is little if any good evidence for flying saucers.
I’m not angry. If anything, I feel a little surprised.
He seldom if ever travels abroad.
If in doubt, ask for help. (= If you are in doubt . . .)
If about to go on a long journey, try to have a good night’s sleep

5. 260.5 insistence
Stressed will can be used after if to suggest insistence.
If you WILL eat so much, it’s not surprising you feel ill.

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 Grammar to go! Language health-check

6. 261.3 if it was/were not for

This structure is used to say that one event or situation changes everything.
If it wasn’t/weren’t for his wife’s money he’d never be a director.
(= Without his wife’s money . . .)
If it wasn’t/weren’t for the children, we could go skiing next week.
To talk about the past we use If it had not been for.
If it hadn’t been for your help, I don’t know what I’d have done.
But for can be used to mean ‘if it were not for’ or ‘if it had not been for’.
But for your help, I don’t know what I’d have done.

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