Summary

Hi guys. Dan for BBC Learning English here. This week I’m going to teach you about the difference between if and when. And of course, all in 90 seconds. We’re going to do the whole thing using this timer, this coin and these two delicious piles of sweets.

Are you ready? Here we go.

Now. Do you like sweets? I love sweets. I’ve had a sweet tooth since I was a child. The problem is that when I get two delicious piles of sweets I can never make up my mind which one I want to eat first. It drives me mad.

And so, to help me decide, I’ve brought along a coin. Now, in English we call this side of the coin heads , and this side of the coin tails . What I’m going to do is spin this coin. Now, i f the coin lands on heads I’m going to eat these delicious sweets. And if the coin lands on tails, I’m going to eat these delicious sweets. It’s win-win! I literally can’t lose. This is superb. Are you ready?

I can say if because at the moment, both oportunities are still possible. And if is used for a possible outcome in the present or future. It’s often used with conditionals.

Now I spin the coin.

When the coin stops, I’ll know what to do. I can say when because when is for certainty. I know the coin will stop spinning eventually.

Have you got it?

Let’s have a look. It’s tails. I’m going to eat this delicious pile of sweets.

Alright? Did you get the difference between when and if? That’s good. When and if can be used for a variety of different tenses and a variety of different situations.

For more information have a look on our website at bbclearningenglish.com for a full transcript… CLOCK BEEPS… perfect timing as usual… a full transcript and exercises on what to do.

I’ve been Dan; you’ve been fantastic. I’m going to eat these sweets. Excuse me.