If / In case: conditioned vs. precautionary action

Earthquake

If / In case

Conditioned vs. Precautionary Action

A Conditioned action vs. a prepared action

ACTION— CONDITION	PRECAUTION— URGENT CONDITION
Do this action after X happens or might happen — this is an emergency action.	Do this action before X happens or might happen — this is an emergency preparation (precaution).
Use the batteries and bottled water if there is an earthquake.	Keep some extra batteries and bottled water on hand in case there is an earthquake.
Use the fire extinguisher if there is a kitchen fire.	Buy a fire extinguisher in the event (that) there is a kitchen fire.
Use the first-aid kit if you cut yourself.	Have a first-aid kit on hand should you cut yourself.

on hand (adj.) – something that can be used or can be easily found
precaution (n.) – something you do in order to prevent something dangerous or unpleasant from happening
precautionary (adj.) – adjective form of the above word
prepare (v.) – do something in advance in order to be ready

See If - Statements

Tense Agreement

PRESENT PRECAUTION — URGENT SITUATION	PAST PRECAUTION— URGENT SITUATION
Use present, present progressive or future tense in the precaution clause. Use present tense for the urgent-situation clause.	Use past tense for habitual precautions in the past, especially with used to or would. Use past tense in the clause with the urgent situation.
We store emergencies supplies in the event an accident occurs.	We would keep emergencies supplies in the event an accident occurred. (past habit)
Men keep a canary with them in a coal mine in case the air turns bad. (present habit)	Men kept a canary with them in a coal mine in case the air turned bad. (past habit)
I will carry an umbrella in my car trunk in case it rains. (Do not use future.)	I used to carry an umbrella in my car trunk in case it rained. (past habit)

Clause Order – commas

INITIAL POSITION	MID-POSITON
Use a comma when placing the conjunction and its clause at the beginning of the sentence.	Use no comma when the conjunction is between the two clauses.
In the event (that) you need to reach me, carry your cell phone.	Carry your cell phone in the event you need me.
In case you need to reach me, carry your cell phone.	Carry your cell phone in case you need me.
Should you need to reach me, carry your cell phone.	Carry your cell phone should you need me.

mobile phone

Common Mistakes

ERROR	FIX
*Call me in case you need help. (Call me now as a precaution for needing help later – not logical)	Call me if you need help. (Call me at the moment when you need help, not before.) I'll keep my phone turned on in case you call and need help. (I'll turn it on as a precaution.)
*Let's hide in case he comes in.	Let's hide if he comes in. (Hide at the moment when he comes in, not before.)
*He has left his car keys with the neighbor in his in case someone needs to move his car.	He left his car keys with the neighbor in his in case someone needs to move his car. (Present perfect is used to focus on time: duration or recency. There is no need to focus on time. This is a simple series of events. Use past tense.)

*Yellow highlighting indicates example of incorrect usage.
Pop-Q – "In case"

Practice 1

Emergency plans for a road trip

Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	ANSWER AND FEEDBACK
1.	We might get lost while driving on our road trip. in case we get lost.
2.	We might get lost while driving on our road trip. if we get lost.
3.	A flat tire might occur. in the event a flat tire occurs. occurs (v.) – happens
4.	A flat tire might occur. if a flat tire occurs.
5.	We might get hungry. If we get hungry, .
6.	We might get hungry. In the case we get hungry,
7.	We might need to recharge our cell phones. Should we need to recharge our cell phones, .
8.	We might need to recharge our cell phones. If we need to recharge our cell phones, .
9.	We might have to sleep in the car. Should we have to sleep in the car , .
10.	We might have to sleep in the car. if we have to sleep in the car.

Practice 2

Precautions and alternate plans

Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence. Pay attention to subject-verb agreement.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER
11.	Give him my cell phone number he need me.
12.	he gets overwhelmed, let's give him an assistant.
13.	my cell phone be turned off, write down the number of my office phone.
14.	Call my home no one answers the phone in the office.
15.	Leave the light on in the front room he gets home after you fall asleep.

alternate (adj.) – other plans, a "Plan B" used if "Plan A" fails

See If - Statements for more examples of conditional statements.

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