When you want to write a sentence using the word "if", there are some rules you have to follow. On this page I'll explain these rules and give some examples.
If you want to describe a rule or emphasize that something is always like that, you use the following kind of conditional clause. It can also be used to animate people to do something:
If I want to answer a question during lesson, I have to raise my hand first.
(At most schools this is a rule.)
If you press the button, you activate the machine.
(This is how the machine is designed, and if there is no malfunction, it will always work like that.)
You can always call me if you have problems at home.
(The person talking wants to animate the other person to call, should there be problems.)
The conditional clause (if-clause) and the main clause both get a simple present.
If you are pretty sure something will happen, you can use this kind of if-clause:
If I earn a lot of money someday, I will buy a house.
(Speaker is optimistic about the future and thinks that it will most likely happen.)
I often see Anna and someone wants to know whether or not she´ll come to the party. If I meet Anna, I will ask her.
(The speaker will probably meet Anna soon.)
Someone is asking, where the next bus stop is. You answer: "Go down this road. If you turn left at the end, you will see the bus stop."
(The person will probably turn left.)
The if-clause gets a simple present, the main clause gets a future.
The events are very unlikely to happen, but they might, and you can still daydream about them:
If I earned more money, I would buy an ice cream-truck.
(The speaker doesn't earn more money, he can only dream about getting more.)
If I were you, I would confess my love for her.
(Obviously the speaker is not the person he's talking to, but he could be in a similar situation someday.)
Mario hasn't been learning for the exam in two weeks yet. If he wrote the exam now, he would fail.
(It's very unlikely he'll write the test now.)
The if-clause gets a simple past, while the other part of the sentence gets a "would, could, might,
..." + infinitive.
When something already happened and therefore cannot be changed anymore, you use this kind of if-clause:
If I had won the lottery, I would have bought a speedboat.
(The speaker did not win the lottery, and maybe he isn't playing anymore.)
If I had known you were in hospital last month, I would have gone to see you.
(The speaker didn't know the other person was in hospital, now the other person is out again.)
If Mark had not been to the party last night, he would have come to school in time this morning.
(The party and the morning are in the past.)
The if-clause gets a past perfect simple, whereas the main clause gets a "would, could, might, ..." + present perfect simple.
Of course there are mixed forms, e.g. something has happened in the past and has an effect on now:
I bought a ring in London this year. If I had not been to London, I would not have the ring now.
I wouldn't be alive today if my parents had never met.
Or you have (and will always have) a certain opinion on something, but imagine what would have happened otherwise:
If I did like this writer, I would have bought that book yesterday.
If I wasn't such a clumsy oaf, I would surely have taken the dancing lessons.
Just remember: Don't use the "would, could, should, ..." in the if-clause.
The only exception is if you want to be polite: "If you could open the window, please..."
If the if-clause comes first, you have to use a comma to seperate it from the main clause:
If I told you my secret, would you tell anyone else?
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
You don't need a comma if the main clause comes first:
Raise your hand first if you want to answer the question.
I wouldn't have any free time if I had to work from 7 am to 9 pm.
Ich überprüfe meine Quellen und versuche, mein Wissen möglichst fehlerfrei mit euch Lesern zu teilen. Da ich "nur" Schülerin und außerdem ein Mensch bin, könnten sich jedoch durchaus Fehler
eingeschlichen haben. Bitte informiert euch generell bei verschiedenen Quellen, wenn ihr Informationen aus dem Internet verwendet.
I double-check my sources and try to share my knowledge with you without any major mistakes. But as I'm "just" a student and also a human being, there could be some mistakes in here. Please check
your information with multiple sources in general.
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