If-clauses for intermediate learners
If-clauses are used to express that the action of the main clause. There are three types of if-clauses. In this lesson, we will discuss them.
What Are If-clauses?
When we want to show that something will/will not happen if something else takes place, we use 'if-clauses' that are also called conditional sentences. In this lesson, we will learn all about them.
Types of If-clauses
We have three types of 'If-clauses' in English. However, we are going to learn about two of them, here. Look:
'If-clauses' Type I
When we are talking about something that we like to happen in the future, we use the first type of 'If-clauses'. The imaginary situation is likely to happen. Look:
As you can see, it might happening in the future.
Form
In this case, we use the simple present tense with the 'If-clause' and we mainly use the future modal verbs in the main clause. Look:
The guests will leave
'If-clauses' type II
When we want to talk about an imaginary situation in the past or in the future, we can use the second type of 'If-clauses'. Look below:
She would kill us
Form
In this case, we use the simple past tense in the 'If-clause' and modals with past-in-the-future in the independent clause. Look:
I would get extremely excited
Tip!
It is useful to know that whenever we have the 'If-clause' at the beginning of the sentence, we must have a comma after it. However, when the independent clause comes first, there is no need for a comma. Compare:
She might get accepted in Harvard University
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