"if" clauses and hypotheses
Some clauses with if are like hypotheses so we use past tense forms to talk about the present and future.
We use the past tense forms to talk about the present in clauses with if :
- for something that has not happened or is not happening:
| He could get a new job if he really tried | = | He cannot get a job because he has not tried. |
| If Jack was playing they would probably win | = | Jack is not playing so they will probably not win. |
| If I had his address I could write to him | = | I do not have his address so I cannot write to him. |
We use the past tense forms to talk about the future in clauses with if:
- for something that we believe or know will not happen:
| We would go by train if it wasn’t so expensive | = | We won’t go by train because it is too expensive. |
| I would look after the children for you at the weekend if Iwas at home | = | I can’t look after the children because I will not be at home. |
- to make suggestions about what might happen:
If he came tomorrow we could borrow his car.
If we invited John, Mary would bring Angela.
If we invited John, Mary would bring Angela.
When we are talking about something which did not happen in the past we use the past perfect in the if clause and amodal verb in the main clause:
| If you had seen him you could have spoken to him | = | You did not see him so you could not speak to him |
| You could have stayed with us if you had come to London | = | You couldn’t stay with us because you didn’t come to London. |
| If we hadn’t spent all our money we could take a holiday. | = | We have spent all our money so we can’t take a holiday |
| If I had got the job we would be living in Paris | = | I did not get the job so we are not living in Paris. |
If the main clause is about the past we use a modal with have:
| If you had seen him you could have spoken to him. | = | You did not see him so you could not speak to him. |
| You could have stayed with us if you had come to London. | = | You couldn’t stay with us because you didn’t come to London. |
| If you had invited me I might have come. | = | You didn’t invite me so I didn’t come. |
If the main clause is about the present we use a present tense form or a modal without have:
| If I had got the job we would be living in Paris now. | = | I did not get the job so we are not living in Paris now. |
| If you had done your homework you would know the answer. | = | You did not do your homework so you do not know the answer. |
