If, when, unless and in case

Present simple for the future

Look at these examples.

You'll be tired tomorrow if you stay up late. Tell me when the water boils.

I won't do anything unless you agree. Write the name down in case you forget it.

We use the present simple for the future after linking words such as if, when, unless and in case (see also Units 27 and 144B).

B If or when?

If you hear any news, can you ring me

immediately?

(You might hear some news.) I'll probably go for a walk later on if it stays fine. (It might stay fine.)

We use if for something that we think might happen.

We use if (not when) for something impossible or imaginary.

If I were you, I'd refuse.

When you hear some news, can you ring me

immediately?

(You will hear some news.) I'll make myself an omelette when I get home

tonight.

(I will get home tonight.) We use when for something that we know will happen.

We can use either if or when in contexts where they mean 'every time'.

If you run, you use up energy. When you run, you use up energy.

C If and unless

If... not means the same as unless.

/ can't see if I don't wear glasses.

The doctor will be here if she isn't called to an

emergency.

If you can't pay your bills, you'll have to leave. I wouldn't say that if I didn't believe it.

I can't see unless I wear glasses.

The doctor will be here unless she's called to an

emergency.

Unless you can pay your bills, you'll have to leave. I wouldn't say that unless I believed it.

D In case

Look at these examples.

Take a sandwich with you in case you get hungry.

I'd better reserve a seat today in case the train is full tomorrow.

Laura took two photos in case one of them didn't come out.

We use in case to talk about doing something to avoid a possible problem later on. (For American English, see page 381.)

Compare if and in case.

I'll bring in the washing if it rains.

(= I'll bring it in at the time it starts raining.)

I'll bring in the washing in case it rains. (= I'll bring it in now because it might rain later.)

148 Exercises

1 If or when? (B)

Look at the information in brackets and complete the sentences using if or when and a verb in the present simple.

? (I may see Tom tonight.) If I see Tom, I'll tell him the news.

? (Melanie is coming soon.) When Melanie comes, can you let her in, please?

1 (The alarm will ring soon.)……………………………………………….. we all have to leave the building.

2 (I might feel better tomorrow.)……………………………………………… I'll probably go back to work.

3 (This film finishes at ten.)............................... ………………………………………………… I'll stop the video.

4 (The plan may not work.) ………………………………………….. we'll have to think of something else.

2 If and unless (C)

Complete the sentences using unless and the information in brackets.

► You won't get there in time unless you hurry, (if you don't hurry)

1 We can't have a picnic …………………………………………………………….(if it isn't a nice day)

2 Don't leave the TV on ……………………………………………………………… (if you aren't watching it)

3 We can't do the job ……………………………………………………………………. (if we don't get help)

4 I wouldn't have bought the picture ........................... …………………………………………(if I didn't like it)

3 If and unless (C)

Which word makes more sense? Put in if or unless.

? Rachel will be pleased ij she passes her driving test.

? The bus won't stop unless you ring the bell.

1 I can't read your letters ..................... you type them.

2 Emma will be upset................... she doesn't get the job.

3 You can't go into the reception you've got a ticket.

4 Don't bother to ring me............................. it's important.

4 In case (D)

What could you say in these situations? Use in case.

► You think Vicky had better take a coat. It might get cold.
You to Vicky: You'd better take a coat in case it gets cold.

1 You think you and Mark had better book a table. The restaurant might be busy.
You to Mark: ................................................................

2 You think Claire ought to insure her jewellery. It might get stolen.
You to Claire: ...............................................................

3 You'll leave David your phone number. He might want to contact you.
You to David:…………………………………….

5 If, when, unless and in case (B-D)

Jake lives next door to Melanie. Complete their conversation. Put in if, when (x2), unless or in case.

Jake: A man is delivering a washing-machine this morning, but I have to go to work. I won't be here

(►) when he calls. Could you let him in for me, please, (1)………………… you're terribly busy?

Melanie: Oh, that's no problem.
Jake: Oh, thanks. (2)………………. you could do that, I'd be really grateful. I'll leave a message on his

answerphone. And (3)………………… he doesn't get the message, I'll put a note on the door, just

to make sure. He'll see it (4) .................................... he comes.

We can use I wish or if only to express a wish. Jessica wishes she was slimmer. If only is stronger and more emphatic than wish.

We can use a clause with if only on its own, or we can add another clause.

If only I wasn't so fat. If only I wasn't so fat, I would be able to get into these trousers.

B Wish... would

Look at these examples.

/ wish you would put those shelves up soon.

Tom wishes his neighbours wouldn't make so much noise.

If only you'd try to keep the place tidy. Wish/If only ... would expresses a wish for something to happen, or to stop happening.

C Wish ... the past

Look at these examples.

/ wish I lived in a big city. It's so boring in the country.

We all wish we had more money, don't we? If only I was taller, I might be better at basketball. Wish and if only with a past-tense verb express a wish for things to be different.

We can use were instead of was (see also Unit 145B). If only I were taller, I might be better at basketball.

We cannot use would in these sentences, but we can use could.

/ wish I could sing (but I can't). I feel so helpless. If only I could speak the language.

Compare wish with would and with the past.

I wish something exciting would happen. (I wish for an action in the future.) I wish my life was more interesting. (My life isn't interesting.)

D Wish ... the past perfect

We use wish and if only with the past perfect to express a wish about the past. / wish you had told me about the dance. I would have gone. I wish I'd got up earlier. I'm behind with everything today. I wish you hadn't lost that photo. It was a really good one. If only David had been a bit more careful, he'd have been all right.

We do not use would have for the past, but we can use could have.

/ wish I could have been at the wedding, but I was in New York.

149 Exercises

Wish ... would (B)

What might you say in these situations? Begin I wish ...

? to someone who never answers your e-mails
I wish you'd answer my e-mails.

? to someone who makes rude remarks about you
/ wish you wouldn't make rude remarks about me.

1 to someone who won't hurry up

2 to someone who never does the washing-up

3 to someone who isn't telling you the whole story

4 to someone who blows cigarette smoke in your face

5 to someone who won't tell you what he's thinking

2 Wish ... the past (C)

Vicky is fed up. What is she saying? Use / wish or if only.

► (She can't think straight.) I wish I could think straight.

1 (She is so tired.) .....................................................................................

2 (She gets headaches.)...........................................................................

3 (Her work isn't going well.) ............................................................

4 (She can't concentrate.).......................................................................

5 (Life is so complicated.) ....................................................................

3 Wish ... the past perfect (D)

Complete the sentences. Use these words: accepted, caught, found, played, saved, stayed

► I spent all my money. I wish now that / had saved it.

1 I missed the train. I really wish.........................................................

2 Rita left the party early. Nick wishes …………………………...

3 Emma refused the offer. But her parents wish .…………………

4 I looked everywhere for the key. 1 wish …………………………

5 The injured player could only watch. He wishes ………………..

4 Wish and if only (B-D)

Complete the conversation.

Claire: Oh, Henry. You're giving me another present. It's very sweet of you,

but I wish (►)yoM wouldn't give me so many presents. Henry: Claire, I've been thinking. I shouldn't have asked you to marry me.

I wish now that (1) .........................................................

Claire: Now you're talking nonsense. I wish (2)……………………………………………, Henry.

Henry: I'm not a young man, am I? Of course I wish (3)…………………………………….

Claire: Why don't you listen? If only (4) …………………………………………..to me just this once.

Henry: Why couldn't we have met twenty years ago? I wish (5) ……………………………you then.

Claire: Henry, twenty years ago I was just starting school.

TEST 25 Conditionals and wish (Units 144-149)

Test 25A

Complete the news report about a protest against a new road. Put in the correct form of the verbs. Sometimes you need will or would.

Yesterday protesters managed to hold up work on the Oldbury bypass. Protest leader Alison Compton
defended the action by members of the Green World group. 'If we don't protest, soon
(►) there'll be (there / be) no countryside left,' she told reporters. The bypass is now well behind schedule,
and if the protesters had not held up the work so often, (1)………………………. (it / open) two months

ago. 'If these fields (2)……………………….... (disappear), we'll never see them again,' said Ms Compton.

'Why can't we use public transport? If more people (3)……………………… (travel) on buses and trains,

we wouldn't need new roads. If the motor car had never existed, the world (4)………………………(be) a

more pleasant place today.'

But many people in Oldbury want their new bypass. 'If (5)………………………. (they / not build) it soon,

the traffic jams in the town will get worse,' said Asif Mohammed, whose house is beside the busy A34. 'We

just can't leave things as they are. If things remained the same, people's health

(6)……………………….. (suffer) even more from all the pollution here. It's terrible. If we don't get the

traffic out of the town, (7)………………………. (I / go) mad. If (8)………………………. (I / know)

earlier how bad this problem would get, (9)………………………. (I / move) out years ago. But now it has

become impossible to sell this house because of the traffic. The government waited too long.

If (10)……………………….. (they / do) something sooner, there would be less traffic today'

And the protest is making the new road even more expensive. 'If this goes on,

(11) …………………….. ... (there / not / be) enough money left to finish the road,' says the Transport

Minister.

Test 25B

Look at the answers below and write the correct answer in each space. ► A: There's always something going wrong with this car.

B: If you had any sense, you'd have sold it long ago.

a) be selling b) have sold c) sell d) sold

1 A: It's a pity the lake wasn't frozen yesterday.

B: Yes, it is. If it .......................... frozen, we could have gone skating.

a) had been b) was c) would be d) would have been

2 A: Haven't you got enough money for a holiday?

B: Oh yes. I've got some saved up................. ………… I suddenly need it.

a) if b) in case c) that d) unless

3 A: What are you going to do next year?

B: I wish I …………………....... the answer to that question.

a) knew b) know c) could know d) would know

4 A: These figures are too complicated to work out in your head.
B: Yes, if ……………………… we had a calculator.

a) better b) only c) really d) that

5 A: What are you doing later this afternoon?

B: Oh, …………………....... the game finishes, I'll go home, I expect.

a) if b) in case c) unless d) when

6 A: Do you think I should take the job?

B: You shouldn't do anything……………………… you think it's the right thing to do.

a) if b) in case c) unless d) when

Test 25C

Write a second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first. Begin with //... ► I haven't got a key, so I can't get in. If I had a key, I could get in.

1 You talk about football and I'm going to be very bored.

2 The baby didn't cry, so we had a good sleep.

3 You may want a chat, so just give me a ring.

4 Nigel hasn't got satellite TV, so he can't watch the game.

5 You go away and I'll miss you.

6 I'm not rich or I'd have given up working long ago.

7 We should have bought that picture five years ago because it would be quite valuable now.

8 Throw a stone into water and it sinks.

Test 25 D

Write the sentences correctly.

► There aren't any eggs. If-we have some-eggs I couldmake an omelette. // we had some eggs, I could make an omelette.

1 The weather doesn't look very good. If it'll rain I'll stay here.

2 The programme is starting soon. Can you tell me-if-it starts?

3 Could you just listen? 1 -didn't need-to-repeat-things-all-the time if-you listened.

4 It's a simple law of science, if air will get-warmer-it rises.

5 There's only one key. I'd-better-get another one made-if-I-lose-it.

6 We were really late, I wish we-left home-earlier.

7 I hope the parcel comes today, If it won't arrilve-today,we'll-have-to complain.

8 That radio is on loud. I wish-someone-turns it-down.

9 We must do something. Until-we act quickly it'll-be too late.

10 Of course Martin was angry. But he hadn't been angry if you hadn't damaged his stereo

Date: 2014-12-22; view: 3170