English Grammar in Use · Murphy

Intermediate Grammar

Master English grammar one unit at a time. Clear notes, then 40+ interactive exercises with instant feedback — based on the topics in English Grammar in Use (Intermediate).

UNIT 38 · Intermediate · B1–B2

If I do … and If I did …“if + present / if + past” — 44 interactive questions

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📖 Grammar Reference — If I do … and If I did …

Study the notes, then work through the six exercises.

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What you’ll learnif + present for a real future · if + past for an imaginary situation · if I were · no will after if
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~15 minNotes + 6 exercises
44 questionsInstant feedback

A If I do… — a real, possible situation

If + present simple , will + base verb

Use this for things that may really happen in the future. The if-part uses the present simple; the main part often uses will / can / might (or an order):

likely futureIf it rains, we‘ll stay at home.
real adviceIf you study, you‘ll pass.
requestIf you see Tom, give him this.

💡 Never use will in the if-part: If it will rain…If it rains…

B If I did… — an imaginary situation

If + past simple , would + base verb

Use this for situations that are imaginary, unlikely, or not true now. Here the past simple does not mean past time — it just means “imagine this”:

not true nowIf I had a car, I would drive. (I don’t have one)
a dreamIf I won the lottery, I would travel.
could / might tooIf we lived here, we could walk to work.

💡 No would in the if-part: If I would have time…If I had time…

C Same sentence, different meaning

The tense after if changes the meaning. Present = it may happen; past = you’re only imagining:

If I find it… realI think I really might. → I’ll call you.
If I found it… imaginaryI don’t expect to. → I would call you.
real If I see her, I will tell her. ✓
imaginary If I saw her, I would tell her. ✓

D If I were… — and giving advice

In imaginary sentences we often use were for every subject (I / he / she / it), not only was. This is very common in the advice phrase If I were you…:

advice If I were you, I’d say sorry. ✓
imaginary If he were here, he’d help. ✓

💡 If I were you… is the natural way to give advice — never If I am you.

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RememberIf + present simple … will + base = a real, possible future · If + past simple … would + base = imaginary or not true now · the past tense after if means “imagine”, not past time · use were (not was) for advice: If I were you…. Never if it will rain and never if I would have.

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Original practice material inspired by the English Grammar in Use syllabus (Cambridge University Press). Example sentences and exercises are written by All English 4U.