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Should vs. If 

conjunctions of conditionifshould
"Should" vs. "If" in the English grammar

What Is Their Main Difference?

The main difference between 'should' and 'if' is that 'should' is a modal verb while 'if' is a conjunction.

Conjunction If

'If' is a subordinating conjunction that is used in conditional mood. It shows that X happens and as a result Y will happen. In other words, Y happens because of X. Have a look:

Example

If you have free time, you can visit museums.

If she knows the linguistics, then she can easily learn new languages.

Are They Interchangeable?

'Should' can replace 'if' without changing the meaning of the sentences. However, 'if' cannot always replace 'should' as 'should' has other uses.
To talk about conditions with 'should,' we follow the pattern illustrated below:

Should + subject + base verb + …

Compare:

Example

Should anyone ask for me, I'm in my office.

If anyone ask for me, I'm in my office.

Should you have any issues, contact the customer service.

If you have any issues, contact the customer service.

If and Should in One Sentence

'If' and 'should' can be used in one sentence, only when 'should' is used as a modal verb and not as an alternative for 'if.' For instance:

Example

If you win that lottery, you should help a charity.

If the weather got better, we should go for a walk.

Comments

(4)
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Hamlet
Apr 2024
I have a question concerning the last two sentences. In the first one we use present tense (win), while in the second: past tence (got). What is the explanation? Can't we say "If the weather get better..." or "If you won that lottery"?
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Langeek
Apr 2024
The use of different tenses in conditional sentences depends on the likelihood of the event: First Conditional (Real possibility): Uses present tense in the if-clause and "will" + base verb in the main clause. Example: "If the weather gets better, we will go for a walk." Second Conditional (Hypothetical situation): Uses past tense in the if-clause and "would" + base verb in the main clause. Example: "If you won the lottery, you would buy a house." Using "gets" suggests a realistic possibility that the event might happen soon, while "won" implies a hypothetical, unlikely scenario.
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Igor
Dec 2023
niceee, ty so much
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CH.Bala Subrahmanyam
Oct 2023
Excellent explanation..superb..
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