In English we can express three important ideas with “ if “
1- Likely or Probable
2- Unlikely or improbable
3- Impossible
So: “Likely or probable “
Main clause – Future ; if .... Present .
e.G
He will come if you call him.
It means : something will happen if a certain condition is fullfilled.
***Like clauses begining with “ When “ “ as soon as “, etc. “ If – clauses” also have no “ shall / will / would / should “ in them.
Main clause – Conditional ; if .... Past .
e.G
He would come if you called him.
It means : The probable result of a certain condition that we suppose or imagen .
*** The “ if –clause “ is not taking place at this moment , but I can imagine the probable result. We inlude here all the Unreal” Ifs “, Like:
If you were a fish, the cat wouldn’t eat you.
Main clause – Conditional perfect ; if .... Past perfect .
e.G
He would have come if you had called him.
It means : He didn’t come ! Why ? Because you didn’t call him. .
*** All number three types are impossible ideas, because we know the condition was not fullfilled , but we like to imagen the result if ..........
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