if I do …

Apuntes

if I do … and if I did … Unit 38 A Compare these examples: (1) LISa: Shall we take the bus or the train? JESS: If we take the bus, it will be cheaper. For Jess, it is possible that they will take the bus, so she says: If we take the bus, it will be … (2) Lisa and Jess decide to take the train. Later, Jess talks to Joe. JOE: How are you going to travel? JESS: We’re going to take the train. If we took the bus, it would be cheaper, but the train is quicker. Now Jess knows they are not going to take the bus, so she says: If we took the bus, it would be … LISA JESS If we take the bus, it will be cheaper. JOE JESS If we took the bus, it would be cheaper. When we talk about something that will not happen, or we don’t expect that it will happen, we use if + past (if we went / if there was etc.). But the meaning is not past: What would you do if you won a lot of money? (I don’t really expect this to happen) If there was an election tomorrow, who would you vote for? (there will not be an election tomorrow) I’d be surprised if they didn’t come to the party. (I expect them to come) Compare if I find and if I found: I think I left my watch at your house. If you find it, can you call me? but If ...