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Ordinary structures

Examples
  • If you didn’t study physics at school, you won’t understand this book.
  • I’ll give her your love if I see her.

The same tenses as with other conjunctions​

When we are not talking about ‘unreal’ situations (see here), we use the same tenses with if as with other conjunctions. Present tenses are used to refer to the present, past tenses to the past, and so on. Compare:

  • Oil floats if you pour it on water.
    Iron goes red when it gets very hot.
  • If Jack didn’t come to work yesterday, he was probably ill.
    As Jack didn’t come to work yesterday, he was probably ill.
  • If you didn’t study physics at school, you won’t understand this book.
    Because you didn’t study physics at school, you won’t understand this book.

Present tense with future meaning​

In an if-clause, we normally use a present tense to talk about the future. This happens after most conjunctions (see here). Compare:

  • I’ll give her your love if I see her. (not … if I will see her.)
    I’ll give her your love when I see her. (not … when I will see her.)
  • If we have fine weather tomorrow, I’m going to paint the windows.
    As soon as we have fine weather, I’m going to paint the windows.
note

For if + will (e.g. if it will make you feel better), (see here).

For if + will in reported speech (e.g. I don’t know if I’ll be ready), (see here).