30 July 2008 - Written by Rob

When we want to talk about something imaginary (that only exists in our minds), we can use the following structure:

If I won the lottery I would buy a mansion.

I would be terrified if I saw a ghost.

What would you do if the world ended?

These are situations that probably will not happen. They are unrealistic.

We use ‘would’ and the past tense of a verb (‘If I won’, ‘If I saw’, ‘If the world ended’) Although we use the past tense, this does not mean that the action took place in the past.

However, if we want to talk about realistic events that could happen, we use a different structure:

If I see Ben I will tell him you want to see him.

They will kill you if they find you.

If he calls his girlfriend, she will be very angry.

These are realistic situations. There is a real chance that they will happen.

For these situations we use ‘will’ and the present tense (‘If I see’, ‘If they find you’, ‘If he calls’)

What words are missing from the following situations:

1. If aliens attacked the earth, people _________ be terrified.

2. ______ you call me if you see Sebastian?

3. What _______ you do if you could fly?

4. They _________ leave this country if there is a recession.

5. The priest _________ come to the house if his condition gets much worse.

6. _________ we survive if there was a nuclear attack on Dublin, do you think?