If + PRESENT SIMPLE + MODAL CLAUSE

In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 74 in the category of CLAUSES/conditional is defined as:

PRESENT SIMPLE ‘IF’ CLAUSE + MODAL, FUTURE, POSSIBLE OUTCOME:

introduce a possible future condition, with modal verbs in the main clause, to talk about a possible result.

A search in TED corpus for expert examples:

If you‘ve got a couple of final words you want to share, that would be great.

listen

So if you look that up, you can hear more of those tunes.

listen

PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE:

On the other hand, TV may waste someone‘s time if watching it is not controlled.

Arabic, Level 3, Writing Class.

A search in iWeb for:

If _P _VV0 * *

1 IF YOU WANT TO BE 40558
2 IF YOU WANT TO GET 39376
3 IF YOU LOOK AT THE 37138
4 IF YOU WANT TO MAKE 30668
5 IF YOU WANT TO USE 30020
6 IF YOU WANT TO SEE 27865
7 IF YOU WANT TO KNOW 24894
8 IF YOU WANT TO GO 17392
9 IF YOU WANT TO DO 16614
10 IF YOU LIVE IN A 16145
11 IF YOU WANT TO LEARN 16039
12 IF YOU WANT TO HAVE 15927
13 IF YOU WANT TO KEEP 15277 *The following example is A2 grammar because there is no modal verb.

Go with my soldiers and hurry back if you want to keep these cockroaches.

listen

14 IF YOU WANT TO TAKE 13550
15 IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT 13531
16 IF YOU WANT TO ADD 12719
17 IF YOU WANT TO TRY 11047
18 IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE 10143
19 IF YOU WANT TO FIND 9280
20 IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE 9219 (This is probably C1.  Happen to do something.)
21 IF YOU LIVE IN THE 9182
22 IF YOU WANT TO PLAY 8807
23 IF YOU KNOW HOW TO 8766
24 IF YOU WANT TO CREATE 8532
25 IF YOU SIGN UP FOR 8508
26 IF YOU GO TO THE 7938
27 IF YOU ASK ME . 7694
28 IF YOU WANT TO SAVE 7598 *Another example of A2 grammar because the modal verb is ‘will’

If you want to save him and see her again, you will find the missing piece and bring it to me.

listen

29 IF YOU KNOW WHAT I 7379
30 IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN 6373
31 IF YOU WANT TO AVOID 6369
32 IF YOU WANT IT TO 6367
33 IF YOU CLICK ON THE 6204
34 IF YOU NEED TO . 6093
35 IF YOU WANT TO . 6072
36 IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, 6002
37 IF YOU WANT TO BUY 5926
38 IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO 5843
39 IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE 5733
40 IF YOU WANT TO STAY 5728
41 IF YOU WANT TO GIVE 5726
42 IF YOU LIVE IN AN 5713
43 IF YOU WANT TO CHECK 5711
44 IF YOU WANT, YOU 5607
45 IF YOU WANT TO BUILD 5541
46 IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU 5515
47 IF WE LOOK AT THE 5470
48 IF YOU WANT TO START 5419
49 IF YOU WANT TO READ 5362
50 IF YOU NEED TO MAKE 5343
51 IF YOU PLAN TO USE 5316
52 IF YOU LIKE. 5226
53 IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE 5221
54 IF YOU WANT TO WORK 5220
55 IF YOU WANT. 5095

56 IF YOU WISH TO USE 5083 (most of these are followed with imperatives in the following clause. The example below is hidden beneath another B1 grammar point: verb patterns)

Healthline

Drinking Coffee Before a Workout: Is It Recommended?

If you wish to use caffeine for athletic performance, you should also save it for key events or races, in order to maintain sensitivity to its effects.

57 IF YOU FIND THAT YOU 5075
58 IF YOU WISH. 5051
59 IF YOU ASK ME, 4929
60 IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE 4904
61 IF YOU NEED IT . 4841
62 IF YOU WANT TO RUN 4795
63 IF YOU NEED HELP WITH 4716
64 IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU 4579
65 IF YOU TAKE A LOOK 4526
66 IF YOU PREFER, YOU 4395
67 IF YOU WANT TO, 4378
68 IF YOU THINK YOU CAN 4286
69 IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU 4274
70 IF YOU WANT TO LOOK 4219
71 IF YOU DECIDE TO GO 4114
72 IF YOU WANT TO BECOME 4090
73 IF YOU TAKE THE TIME 4022
74 IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE 4013
75 IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND 4011
76 IF YOU NEED ANY HELP 3898
77 IF YOU NEED TO GET 3892
78 IF YOU LOOK AT IT 3800
79 IF YOU WANT TO TALK 3798
80 IF YOU NEED TO USE 3781
81 IF YOU RUN OUT OF 3778
82 IF YOU NEED TO CHANGE 3755
83 IF YOU GO TO A 3747
84 IF YOU WANT ME TO 3742
85 IF YOU WANT THEM TO 3717
86 IF YOU WISH TO HAVE 3707

87 IF YOU DECIDE TO USE 3650

  The Sports Daily

Can you bet on sports if you have a tablet, and what specific things do you need to be aware of?

You should be careful if you decide to use a public network because most of them are available to everyone.

A2 vocabulary:

add, become, build, check, click, decide, happen, if, information, keep, mind, mistake, out, plan, prefer, save, try, wish, yourself

Other research notes

This point should mention which modal verbs. Because the use of ‘can’ is A2. The use of ‘will’ is also A2. If we look at the EGP examples, they could also be listed at A2 as polite suggestions or offers to refer to what is true now or a situation that is very likely to happen.

• It would be very good if you start going to the gym or you start cycling.
• I would be very glad if you come and visit us.
• If you come to Brazil, you can stay at my home.