| Type | Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zero | What is generally true or what you normally do | If + simple present, simple present | If I go to a friend's house, I usually take some gifts. |
| Type 1 (probable) | What will probably happen in the future | If + simple present, will + verb | If you come tomorrow, you will get me in my office. |
| Type 2 | What you would do in an imaginary situation | If + simple past, would + verb 1 | If I owned a car, I would drive to work. |
| Type 3 | Regret or a guess about the past | If + past perfect, would have + past participle | If you had worked hard, you would have passed your exam. |
When you use it
Use this when you must complete or correct an if sentence. First decide whether the situation is always true, probable in the future, imaginary now, or about the past, then choose the matching verb forms.
Watch out
Never put will in the if clause: write What will happen if I do this, not if I will do this. Unless already means if not, so write Unless she is careful, not Unless she is not careful.
Drafted from Grade 11 English, pages 253-272, then checked twice before it went up
