Get Fluent In English_L02
Hello, Assalamualaikum to all. Hope you all are doing fine & hope you all already started speaking English who have gone through my first post of Get Fluent In English, at least started trying…… J
Today I’m gonna (going to) show you when and how to use ‘in case’ and ‘if’ and the differences between them.
These two expressions are very similar in meaning but different in uses. They both basically mean ‘if something happens’. OK, let’s have a clear concept of these two, when and how to use.
We use ‘in case’ to talk about the precautions we take before we do something. We always use present tense after in case to talk about the future. We don’t use ‘will’.
Here is an example with using both in case and if, hope it will help you to make you understood the different meaning of these two in same sentence.
You need to take a jacket with you to go outside in case it rains.
That means you have to take a jacket as a precaution because it might rain. There is a possibility of rain but it’s not started yet.
But if you say,
You need to take a jacket with you to go outside if it rains.
That means, you have to take a jacket because it’s raining outside. You know that rain has already started and it’s raining still now and that’s why you have to take a jacket to protect yourself from getting wet by the rain.
So we just got a proof that in case doesn’t mean the same as if. “In case” is usually used to show that an action is being taken, or preparations have been made, as a precaution – so the action or event is completed based on a possibility.
Call me if you need any help.
Call me in case you need any help.
The first sentence tells you to call only when you need help, the second sentence tells you to call before you need help.
Here is another example.
Don’t forget to take some dry foods and extra cloths with you in case you can’t get home tonight.
Don’t forget to take some dry foods and extra cloths with you if you can’t get home tonight.
The first sentence tells that there is a possibility that you might not able to reach home tonight that’s why you are advised to take some dry foods and extra cloths with you.
The second sentence tells that someone is quite sure that you won’t be able to get home tonight and you have to stay somewhere at night and that’s why you are advised to take some dry foods and extra cloths with you.
OK, I hope you all understood where, how and when to use ‘in case’ and ‘if’ and the differences between them in uses. That’s all for now. Keep practicing, keep making new sentences, keep trying to overcome your shyness, challenge yourself daily and make improvements.
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