1) ‘IF’ IN THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

-- refer to the present time for conditions that are very likely to happen

Sample Sentences:
1) Your parents will be notified if you vandalise school property. (correct)
2) Your parents will be notified if you have vandalised school property. (correct)
3) You might die if you a snake bites you. (correct)
4) You will be sent for a checkup if you are bitten by a snake. (correct)
5) Susan must be tired if she has been revising since this morning. (correct)
6) If Xavier helps us, our task will be easier. (correct)
7) Freddy will be going if Sally is going. (correct)
8) Norman will go if you go. (correct)
9) Herman will go if you are going. (correct)

What are some observations you made?

Learn from common errors
1) Your parents will be notified if you had vandalised school property. (Wrong)
2) You might die if a snake had bitten you. (Wrong)
3) Susan will be bloated if she ate that cake. (Wrong)

Why are the above sentences wrong? Ask if you are not sure.

Task: Each one of you is supposed to write 2 sentences using 'If' in the simple present tense.

2) “IF’ IN THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

-- refers to the present time for conditions that are unlikely to happen
-- refers to future time for conditions that are unlikely to happen

Sample sentences
1) If there were no challenges, we would not work hard. (correct)
2) If there were no exams, we would not study hard. (correct)
3) I would be abandoned if my parents were to forsake me. (correct)
4) I would become a billionaire in one month if I were to sell bottlecaps. (correct)
Sentences 1 and 4 described events that are very unlikely to happen.

5) Mother would be unhappy if the vase broke. (correct)
6) Susan would spot the difference if she were more alert. (correct)
Sentences 5 and 6 described events that has not happened and is unlikely to happen at that moment. Therefore the past tense is used.

Refer to sentence 5. Even if the vase broke, Mother may or may not be unhappy.
Refer to sentence 6. Even if Susan was more alert, she may or may not be able to spot the difference.

Learn form the common errors
1) Gary would be heartbroken if his girlfriend breaks off with him. (wrong)
2) Thomas will be promoted if he was given a good report. (wrong)

Refer to sentence 1: When someone breaks off with you, it is natural to feel heartbroken. Therefore, 'is heartbroken' should be used.
Refer to sentence 2: When we use the conditional 'if', it implies that something has not happened. Therefore Thomas 'was given' a good report cannot happen.


Task: Each one of you is supposed to write 2 sentences using 'If' in the past tense.

3) ‘IF’ IN THE PAST PERFECT TENSE

-- refers to the past, therefore the condition cannot happen now or ever be
fulfilled.

Sample sentences:
1) If I had known that I will fail the exam, I would have studied hard for it. (correct)
2) If I had known that I am going to fail the exam, I would have studied hard for it. (correct)
3) If I had known that Matthew has bought the movie tickets, I would not have purchased it. (correct)
4) If I had known that they have not eaten since this morning, I would have bought them cakes. (correct)
5) If I had known that they are in need, I would have given them my old clothes. (correct)
6) If I had known that John has been sick, I would have visited him. (correct)
7) If I had known that my aunt will be going to Malaysia tomorrow, I would have arranged to send my child to the childcare much earlier. (correct)


Observation made from the sentence structure:
If I had known that (any gramatically correct present or future tenses sentences ), I would + present perfect tense ...

Do not try this!
If I had known that if ...
It will make the whole sentence very complicated, so avoid it because there is a high probability of making a mistake.


Learn from the common mistakes.
1) If I had known that I will fail the exam, I would had studied hard for it. (wrong)
2) If I had known that I would fail the exam, I would have studied hard for it. (wrong)
3) If I had known that I will fail the exam, I will study hard for it. (wrong)


Task:
Each one of you is supposed to write 2 sentences using 'If' in the past perfect tense.