Section 22 If

INTRODUCTION
uncertain events and situations
In clauses after if, we usually talk about uncertain events and situations: things
which may or may not happen, which may or may not be true, etc.
Ask Jack if he's staying tonight. (He m ay or may not be staying.)
If I see Annie, I'll give her your love. (I m ay or may not see Annie.)

conditions
An «/-clause often refers to a condition - som ething which m ust happen so that
som ething else can happen.
If you get here before eight, we can catch the early train.
Oil floats if you pour it on water.
Clauses of this kind are often called 'conditional' clauses.

'first', 'second' and 'third' conditionals; other structures

Some students’ gram m ars concentrate on three com m on sentence structures
with if, which are often called the ‘first’, ‘second’ and ‘third’ conditionals.
'first conditional'

if+ present will + infinitive

I f we play tennis, I'll win.

‘second conditional’

if + past would + infinitive

I f we played tennis, I would win.

‘third conditional’

if + past perfect would have + past participle

I f we had played tennis, I would have won.

These are useful structures to practise. However, students som etim es think that
these are the only possibilities, and becom e confused w hen they m eet sentences
like I f she d id n ’t phone this m orning then she’s probably away ('W hat's this?
A fourth conditional?'). It is im portant 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 norm al verb forms. (A research study carried out in the
1990s found that less than 25% of «/-conditional sentences follow the traditional
‘first’, ‘second’ and ‘third’ patterns.)

gram m ar • Section 22 If
 position of /У-clause
An «/-clause can com e at the beginning or end of a sentence. W hen an (/-clause
com es first, it is often followed by a comma.
Compare:
If you eat too much, you get fat. You get fa t if you eat too much.

For other m eanings of if, ►244.10-244.13. For i f and whether in indirect speech, ►260-261.
For i f not and unless, ►247. For m ore information about would/should, ►76, 80, 86.
For the difference between i f and in case, ►248. For even if, ►452.4.

How good are the rules?

The 'rules’ given in this Section are intended to be useful for learners. They
describe w hat happens m ost of the time, and are generally valid for formal
speech and writing. However, usage is far from fixed, and educated speakers and
writers quite often mix structures. So if a sentence is crossed out in one of the
following explanations (e.g. I f I would know her name, I would tell you) this
m eans that it should be avoided in contexts like formal letters or examination
scripts. It m ay not strictly speaking be wrong.

Do you know what's wrong with these, and why?

© I’ll give h er your love if I’ll see her. ►238.2
© If you asked me, I had told you. ►241.1
© If I would know his address I would tell you. ►239.2
© If I knew they had a problem, I could have helped them . ►241.2
© If I were to know his address, I would tell you. ►244.2
© H adn’t we m issed the plane, we would all have been killed in
the crash. ►244.5
© It would of been better if we h ad started earlier. ►245.3
© If only I would know m ore people! ►242
© I only she d idn't tell the police, everything would have been
all right. ►242
© I'll be surprised unless the car breaks dow n soon. ►247.2
© I’ve bought a chicken in case your m other will stay to lunch. ►248.1

CONTENTS OF THIS SECTION

238 ordinary structures 244 other points
239 special structures with past 245 other structures found in
tenses and would spoken English
240 if I were you 246 other words and expressions
241 unreal past situations with similar uses
242 if only 247 unless
243 if. . . will 248 in case and if

gram m ar • Section 22 If
238 ordinary structures
I f you didn 't study physics a t school, you w on't understand this book.
I'll give her your love if I see her.

1 the same tenses as with other conjunctions

W hen we are not talking about ‘unreal’ situations (► 239), 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:
- Oil flo a ts i f you p o u r it on water.
Iron goes red w hen it gets very hot.
- I f Jack d id n ’t com e to work yesterday, he was probably ill.
As Jack d id n 't com e to work yesterday, he was probably ill.
- I f you d id n 't study physics at school, you w o n ’t understand this book.
Because you d id n 't stu d y physics a t school, you w o n ’t understand this book.

2 present tense with future meaning

In an (/-clause, we norm ally use a present tense to talk about the future.
This happens after m ost conjunctions (► 231). Compare:
- I'll give her your love i f I see her. ( not . . . if I will see her.)
I'll give her your love w hen I see her. ( not . . . when I will sec her.)
- I f we have fin e weather tomorrow, I ’m going to paint the windows.
As soon as we have fin e weather, I ’m going to paint the windows.

For i f + will (e.g. if it w ill make you feel better), ►243.

For i f + will in re p o rte d sp eech (e.g. I don't know if I'll be ready), ►260.3.

239 special structures with past tenses

and would
I f I knew her name, I would tell you.
W hat would you do if you lost your job?

1 unreal situations
We use special structures with if w hen we are talking about unreal situations -
things that will probably not happen, situations that are untrue or imaginary,
and similar ideas. In these cases, we use past tenses and would to ‘distance’ our
language from reality.

2 if + past; w ould + infinitive

To talk about unreal or im probable situations now or in the future, we use
a past tense in the /-clau se (even though the m eaning is present or future),
and w ould + infinitive (without to) in the other part of the sentence.
I f I knew her name, I w ould tell you. (n o t I f I k n o w . . . o r I f I would know . . .
or . . . I will tell you.)
She w ould be perfectly happy if she h a d a car.
W hat w ould you do if you lost your job?

gram m ar • 238 ordinary structures

 If Section 2 2

This structure can m ake suggestions sound less definite, and so more polite.
It w ould be nice if you helped m e a bit with the housework.
Would it be all right if I cam e round about seven tomorrow?

3 would, should and 'd

After I and we, should is som etim es used with the sam e m eaning as would.
This is now unusual in British English, and has almost disappeared from
American English.
I f I knew her name, I should tell you. (rare)
We u s e 'd as a contraction (► 337).
W e'd get up earlier if there was a good reason to.
For I should . . . m ean in g 'I advise you to . . ► 240.2. For would in th e if-clause, ► 245.
For should in th e (/-clause, ► 244.1.

4 if I were, etc
We often use were instead of was after if. This is com m on in both formal
and informal styles. In a formal style were is m ore com m on than was,
and m any people consider it m ore correct, especially in American English.
The gram m atical nam e for this use of were is 'subjunctive’ (► 232).
I f I were rich, I would spend all m y time travelling.
I f m y nose were a little shorter, I'd be quite pretty.
For th e expression I f I were you . . ► 240.

5 Ordinary tense-use or special tense-use? If I come or if I cam el

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:
- I f I become President, I 'l l . . . (said by a candidate in an election)
I f I became President, I 'd . . . (said by a schoolboy)
- I f I win this race, I 'l l . . . (said by the fastest runner)
I f I won this race, I'd . . . (said by the slowest runner)
- Will it be all right if I bring a friend? (direct request)
W ould it be all right if I brought a friend? (less direct, m ore polite)

6 could and m ight

We can use could to m ean 'w ould be able to ’ and might to m ean ‘would
perhaps’ or ‘would possibly’.
I f I had another £500, I could buy a car.
I f you asked m e nicely, I m ight get you a drink.

For other cases w here a past tense has a present or future meaning, ►46. For if only, ►242.

240 if I were you

1 advice
We often use the structure I f I were you . . . to give advice. British English has
should or would in the m ain clause; American English would.
I wouldn ’t/shouldn ’t worry i f I were you. -»

gram m ar • 240 if I were you

238 ordinary structures
I f you d id n ’t study physics a t school, you w o n ’t understand this book.
I ’ll give her your love if I see her.

1 the same tenses as with other conjunctions

W hen we are not talking about 'unreal' situations (► 239), 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:
- Oil flo a ts i f you p o u r it on water.
Iron goes red when it gets very hot.
- I f Jack d id n 't com e to work yesterday, he was probably ill.
As Jack d id n 't com e to work yesterday, he was probably ill.
- I f you d id n ’t stu d y physics a t school, you w o n ’t understand this book.
Because you d id n ’t stu d y physics a t school, you w o n ’t understand this book.
2 present tense with future meaning
In an «/-clause, we norm ally use a present tense to talk about the future.
This happens after m ost conjunctions (► 231). Compare:
- I ’ll give her your love i f I see her. ( n o t . . . if I will see her.)
I ’ll give her your love w hen I see her. ( n o t . . .
- I f we have fin e weather tomorrow, I ’m going to paint the windows.
As soon as we have fin e weather, I ’m going to paint the windows.

For if+ will (e.g. if it will make you feel better), ►243.
For if+ will in reported speech (e.g. / d o n ’t know i f I'll be ready), ►260.3.

239 special structures with past tenses

and would
I f I knew her name, I would tell you.
W hat would you do if you lost your job?

1 unreal situations
We use special structures with г/w h e n we are talking about unreal situations -
things that will probably not happen, situations that are untrue or imaginary,
and similar ideas. In these cases, we use past tenses and would to ‘distance’ our
language from reality.
2 if + past; w ould + infinitive
To talk about unreal or im probable situations now or in the future, we use
a past tense in the «/-clause (even though the m eaning is present or future),
and w ould + infinitive (without to) in the other part of the sentence.
I f I kn ew her name, I w ould tell you. ( n o t I f I know-. . . o r I f I would know . . .
OR . . .
She w ould be perfectly happy if she h a d a car.
W hat w ould you do if you lost your job?

gram m ar • 238 ordinary structures

 If Section 2 2

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?

3 would, should and 'd

After I and we, should is som etim es used with the same m eaning as would.
This is now unusual in British English, and has almost disappeared from
American English.
I f I knew her name, I should tell you. (rare)
We u s e 'd as a contraction (► 337).
W e'd get up earlier if there was a good reason to.

For I sh o u ld . . . m eaning 'I advise you to 240.2. For would in the if-clause, ►245.
For should in the if-clause, ►244.1.

4 if I were, etc
We often use were instead of was after if. This is com m on in both formal
and informal styles. In a formal style were is m ore com m on than was,
and m any people consider it m ore correct, especially in American English.
The gram m atical nam e for this use of were is 'subjunctive' (► 232).
I f I were rich, I would spend all m y time travelling.
I f m y nose were a little shorter, I ’d be quite pretty.
For the expression I f I were you . . ►240.

5 Ordinary tense-use or special tense-use? If I come or if I cam el

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, im aginary or less probable. Compare:
- I f I become President, I ’l l . . . (said by a candidate in an election)
I f I became President, I ’d . . . (said by a schoolboy)
- I f I win this race, I 'l l . . . (said by the fastest runner)
I f I won this race, I'd . . . (said by the slowest runner)
- Will it be all right if I bring a friend? (direct request)
W ould it be all right if I brought a friend? (less direct, more polite)

6 could and m ight

We can use could to m ean 'w ould be able to' and might to m ean ‘would
p erhaps’ or ‘would possibly'.
I f I had another £500, I could buy a car.
I f you asked me nicely, I m ight get you a drink.
For other cases where a past tense has a present or future meaning, ►46. For i f only, ►242.

240 if I were you

1 advice
We often use the structure I f I were you . . . to give advice. British English has
should or would in the m ain clause; American English would.
I wouldn 't/shouldn 't worry i f I were you. ->

gram m ar • 240 if I were you

 I f l were you, I'd get that car serviced.
I f l was you is also possible. Some people consider it incorrect (► 239.4).
2 / should/would . . .
Sometimes we leave out I f l were you, and just use I should . . . (British English)
or I would . . . to give advice.
I sh o u ld n ’t worry. I w ould get that car serviced.
In this case, I should/w ould is similar to you should.

241 unreal past situations

I f you had worked harder, you would have passed your exam.

1 if + past perfect; w ould have + past participle

To talk about past situations that did not happen, we use a past perfect tense in
the «/-clause, and w ould have + past participle in the other part of the sentence.
I f you h a d asked me, I w ould have told you. ( n o t I f you would hai>e

I f you h a d w orked harder, you w ould have passed your exam.

I'd have been in bad trouble if Megan h a d n ’t helped me.
2 could have . . . and m ight have . . .
We can use could have + past participle to m ean 'w ould have been able to . . .’,
and m ight have + p ast participle to m ean 'would perhaps have . . . ’ or 'would
possibly have ..
I f he’d run a bit faster, he could have won.
I f I h a d n ’t been so tired, I m ight have realised what was happening.
3 present use: situations that are no longer possible
We som etim es use structures with would have . . . to talk about present and
future situations which are no longer possible because of the way things have
turned out.
It w ould have been nice to go to Australia this winter, but there’s no way we
can do it. ( or It would be nice . . .)
I f m y mother h a d n ’t m et m y father at a party thirty years ago, I w o u ld n ’t have
been here now. ( or . . . I w ouldn’t be here now.)

242 if only
We can use I f only . . ./to say that we would like things to be different. It m eans
the sam e as I wish . . . (► 632), but is m ore em phatic. The clause with if only
often stands alone, w ithout a m ain clause. Tense use is as follows:
a past to talk about the present
I f only I knew more people! I f only I was better-looking!
We can use were instead of was (► 239.4).
I f only your father were here!

gram m ar • 241 unreal past situations

 If Section 2 2

b w ould + infinitive (without to) to talk about the future

If only it would stop raining, we could go out.
If only somebody w ould smile!
с past perfect to talk about the past
If only she hadn't told the police, everything would have been all right.

243 i f . .. win
I'll give you £100 if it will help you to get home.
I f A nna w o n ’t be here, we'd better cancel the meeting.
I do n 't know if I ’ll be ready in time.
I f you will come this way . . .
I f you will eat so much . . .

We norm ally use a present tense with i f (and m ost other conjunctions) to refer
to the future (► 231).
I ’ll phone you if I have time, ( n o t . . . if I will have tim e.)
But in certain situations we use if. . . will.

1 results
We use will with if to talk about w hat will h appen because of possible future
actions - to m ean 'if this will be the later result’. Compare:
- I ’ll give you £100 if I win the lottery. (Winning the lottery is a condition -
it m ust happen first.)
I ’ll give you £100 if it’ll help you to get home. (The return hom e is a result -
it follows the gift of money.)
- We'll go home now if you get the car. (condition)
W e’ll go hom e now if it will make you feel better, (result)

2 'If it is true now t h a t . . . '

We use will with i f w hen we are saying 'if it is true now t h a t . . .’ or ‘if we know
now t h a t . . .’.
I f A nna w on ’t be here on Thursday, w e’d better cancel the meeting.
I f prices will really come down in a fe w months, I'm not going to buy one now.

3 indirect questions: I don't know i f .. .

We can use will after if in indirect questions (► 260.3).
I don't know if I'll be ready in time, ( n o t . . . if I ’m ready in time.)

4 polite requests: If you will come this w a y .. .

We can use if+ will in polite requests. In this case, will is not a future auxiliary;
it m eans 'are willing to ’ (► 80.1).
I f you will come this way, I ’ll show you your room.
I f your mother w ill complete this form , I ’ll prepare her ticket.
Would can be used to make a request even m ore polite.
I f you w ould come this way . . .

gram m ar • 243 i f .. . will

 5 insistence: If you WILL eat so much . . .
Stressed will can be used after if to criticise people’s habits or choices.
I f you WILL eat so much, it’s not surprising you feel ill. (= 'If you insist on
eating so m uch . .

244 other points

1 i f . . . happen to
We can suggest that som ething is unlikely, or not particularly probable, by using
. . . happen to . . . after if.
I f I happen to run into Daniel, I'll tell him to call you.
I f you happen to pass a supermarket, perhaps you could pick up some eggs.
Should can be used after if in British English with a similar m eaning, but this is
now unusual.
I f I should run into D a n ie l. . .

2 i f . . . was/were to
This is another way of talking about unreal or imaginary future events.
I f the boss w as/w ere to com e in now, we'd be in real trouble.
(= If the boss cam e . . . )
W hat would we do i f l was/w ere to lose m y job?
It can be used to make a suggestion sound less direct, and so m ore polite.
I f you were to m ove your chair a bit, we could all sit down.
This structure is not normally used with verbs like be or know, which refer to
continuing situations.
I f l knew her nam e . . . ( n o t I f l were to know her nam e . . .)

For the difference between was and were after if, ►239.4.

3 if it was/were not for

This structure is used to say that one event or situation changes everything.
I f it w asn't/w eren’t fo r his wife’s money he’d never be a director.
(= W ithout his wife's money, . . .)
I f it w asn’t/w eren ’t fo r the children, we could go skiing next week.
To talk about the past we use I f it had not been for.
I f it h a d n 't been f o r your help, I do n ’t know w hat I'd have done.
But fo r can be used to m ean ‘if it were not for’ or 'if it had not been for’.
B ut fo r your help, I don't know w hat I'd have done.

4 leaving out if: conversational - You want to get in, you pay.
I f is som etim es left out at the beginning of a sentence in a conversational style,
especially w hen the speaker is making conditions or threats.
You w ant to get in, you pay like everybody else. (= If you w a n t. . .)
You touch m e again, I ’ll kick your teeth in.

gram m ar • 244 other points

 If Section 2 2

5 leaving out if: formal inversion structures - Had I realised . ..

In formal and literary styles, if can be dropped and an auxiliary verb put before
the subject. This happens mostly with were, had and should.
Were she m y daughter, . . . (= If she were my daughter . . .)
H ad I realised w hat you intended, . . . (= If I had realised . . .)
Should you change your mind, . . . (= If you should change . . .)
Negatives are not contracted.
H ad we not missed the plane, we would all have been killed in the crash.

For other uses of inverted word order, ►270-271.

6 leaving out words after if

We som etim es leave out subject + be after if. Note the com m on fixed
expressions i f necessary, if any, if anything, if ever, if in doubt.
I'll work late tonight if necessary. (= . . . if it is necessary)
There is little i f any good evidence fo r flying saucers.
I'm not angry. I f anything, I feel a little surprised.
He seldom if ever travels abroad.
I f in doubt, ask fo r help. (= If you are in d o u b t. . .)
If abou t to go on a long journey, try to have a good night's sleep.
For more details of ellipsis (structures with words left out), ►275-280.

7 if so and if not
After if, we can use so and not instead of repeating a whole clause.
Are you free? I f so, let’s go out fo r a meal. (= . . . If you are free . . .)
I might see you tomorrow. If not, then it’ll be Saturday. (= . . . If I don’t see
you tom orrow . . .)

8 extra negative: I w onder if we sh o u ld n 't. . .

An extra not is som etim es put into «/-clauses after expressions suggesting doubt
or uncertainty.
I wonder if we shouldn’t ask the doctor to look a t Emily. (= I w onder if we
should ask . . .)
I w ouldn't be surprised if she did n 't get married soon. (= . . . if she got
m arried soon.)
9 i f . . . then
We som etim es construct sentences with if. . . then to em phasise that one thing
depends on another.
I f she can’t come to us, then we'll have to go and see her.

10 if meaning 'even if'

We can use if to m ean ‘even if (► 452.4).
I ’ll finish this jo b if it takes all night.
I w ouldn't marry you if you were the last m an in the world.

11 admitting facts with if

An «/-clause can be used to adm it a fact w hen giving a reason for it.
If I'm a b it sleepy, it’s because I was up all night. ->

gram m ar • 244 other points

 12 if meaning 'I'm saying this in case'
//-clauses are quite often used to explain the purpose of a rem ark - to suggest
'I’m saying this in case . .
There's some steak in the fridge i f y o u ’re hungry.
I f you w a n t to go home, Anne's got your car keys.

13 if meaning 'although'
In a formal style, if can be used with a similar m eaning to although. This is
com m on in the structure i f + adjective (with no verb). I f is not as definite as
although; it can suggest that w hat is being talked about is a m atter of opinion, or
not very im portant.
His style, i f simple, is pleasant to read.
The profits, i f a little lower than last year’s, are still extremely healthy.
The sam e kind of idea can be expressed with m ay . . . but.
His style m a y be simple, b u t it is pleasant to read.

245 other structuresJound in spoken English_

1 w ould in both clauses
Conditional would is som etim es used in both clauses of an «/-sentence. This is
very informal, and quite com m on in speech. It is not usually written, and is
incorrect in formal writing.
It w ould be good if w e'd get some rain.
How w ould we feel if this w ould happen to our fam ily?

For if. . . would in polite requests, ►243.4.

2 'd have . . . 'd have; w ould have . . . w ould have

In informal spoken English, (/-clauses referring to the past are som etim es
constructed w i t h ’d have. This, too, is very informal, but it occurs quite often
in speech. It is not usually written, and is incorrect in formal writing.
I f I'd have known, I ’d have told you.
It would have been fu n n y i f she’d have recognised him.
You wonder w hat the attitudes o f both players w ould have been ifN a d a l
w ould have gone on and won that second set. (from a tennis commentary)

3 had've and would've

Instead of the contracted ’d in these structures, full forms are som etim es used
for em phasis or in negatives. Both had and would occur. The following are
genuine examples taken from conversation.
I didn't know. But i f I h a d ’ve know n . . .
We would never have m et i f he h a d n 't have crashed into m y car.
I f I w o u ld ’ve had a gun, somebody m ight have got hurt.
I f you w o u ldn 't have phoned her, w e’d never have fo u n d out what
was happening.
Confusion about this structure som etim es leads people to write would o/instead
of would have (they are pronounced the same: /'w odsv/ in norm al speech).

gram m ar • 245 other structures found in spoken English

 If Section 2 2

4 mixed tenses
Sometimes a simple past tense is used with if w here a past perfect would be
norm al. This is m ore com m on in American English.
If I knew you were coming, I'd have baked a cake.
If I h ad the m oney with me, I would have bought you one.
I f I d id n ’t have m y walking boots on, I think I would have really hurt m y foot.

246 other words and expressions with

similar uses
Many w ords and expressions can be used in similar ways to if, and often with
similar structures. Some of the com m onest are imagine (that), suppose (that),
supposing (that) (used to talk about w hat might happen), and providing (that),
provided (that), as/so long as, on condition (that) (used to make conditions).
Imagine we could all fly. W ouldn’t that be fu n !
Supposing yo u 'd missed the train. W hat would you have done?
You can borrow m y bike providing/provided you bring it back.
I'll give you the day o ff on condition th at you work on Saturday morning.
You’re welcome to stay with us as/so long as you share the expenses.
For suggestions with suppose, supposing and w hat if, ►599.

247 unless
1 meaning
Unless has a similar m eaning to if. . . not, in the sense of 'except if.
Come tomorrow unless I phone. (= . . . if I d o n 't phone / except if I phone.)
I ’ll take the jo b unless the pay is too low. (= . . . if the pay isn’t too low /
except if the pay is too low.)
I'll be back tomorrow unless there’s a plane strike.
Let's have dinner out - unless y o u ’re too tired.
I'm going to dig the garden this afternoon, unless it rains.

2 when unless cannot be used

Unless m eans 'except if; it is not used with other m eanings of ' i f . . . not'.
Compare:
- OK. So w e’ll m eet this evening a t 7.00 - unless m y train's late. (= . . . except if
my train's late.)
If m y train isn’t late it will be the first time this week, ( n o t Unless m y train’s
late it will be the first time this week. The m eaning is not 'except if.)
- I ’ll drive over a nd see you, unless the car breaks down. (= . . . except if the car
breaks down.)
I'll be surprised i f the car doesn’t break dow n soon, ( n o t I'll be surprised unless
the car breaks dow n soon.) ->

gram m ar • 247 unless

 3 tenses
In clauses with unless, we usually use present tenses to refer to the future
(► 231).
I'll be in all day unless the office phones, ( n o t . . .-

248 in case and if

1 precautions
In British English, in case is mostly used to talk about precautions - things
which we do in order to be ready for possible future situations.
I always take an umbrella in case it rains. (= . . . because it might rain.)
To talk about the future, we use a present tense after in case (► 231).
I ’ve bought a chicken in case your mother stays to lunch, ( n o t .

2 in case . . . happen to
We can use the expression happen to after in case to em phasise the m eaning of
‘by chance’.
I ’ve bought a chicken in case your mother happens to stay to lunch.
We took our sw im m ing things in case we happened to fin d a pool.
Should can be used in the same way in British English, but this is no longer
very comm on.
. . . in case your mother should stay to lunch.

3 in case and if
In British English, in case and if are normally used in quite different ways.
‘Do A in case В happens' m eans ‘Do A (first) because В might happen later’.
‘Do A if В hap p en s’ m eans ‘Do A if В has already h ap pened’. Compare:
- Let's buy a bottle o f wine in case George comes. (= Let’s buy som e wine now
because George might com e later.)
Let's buy a bottle o f wine i f George comes. (= We’ll wait and see. If George
comes, then w e’ll buy the wine. If he doesn’t we w on’t.)
- I ’m taking an umbrella in case it rains.
I ’ll open the umbrella if it rains.
- People insure their houses in case they catch fire, ( n o t .
People telephone the fire brigade if their houses catch fire.

In American English, in case is often used in a similar way to if.

In case y o u ’re free this evening give me a call, (less typical of British English)

4 in case o f
The prepositional phrase in case о/ h a s a wider m eaning than the conjunction
in case, and can be used in similar situations to if in both American English and
British English.
In case o f fire, break glass. (= If there is a fire . . .)

gram m ar • 248 in case and if