A. Study this example situation:
- Your car should have a spare wheel because it is possible you will have a
puncture.
- Your car should have a spare wheel in case you have a puncture.
In case you have a puncture= because it is possible you will have a
puncture.
Some more examples of in case:
* I'll leave my mobile phone switched on in case Jane calls. (=because it is possible she will
call)
* I'll draw a map for you in case you have problems finding our house. (=because it is possible
you will have problems)
* I'll remind them about the meeting in case they've forgotten. (=because it is possible they have
forgotten)
We use just in case for a smaller possibility:
* I don't think it will rain, but I'll take an umbrella just in case. (= just in case it rains)
Do not use will after in case. Use a present tense for the future:
* I'll leave my phone switched on in case Jane calls. (not in case Jane will call)
B. In case is not the same as if. We use in case to say why somebody does (or doesn't do)
something.
=> You do something now in case something happens later.
Compare:
in case
if
- We'll buy some more food in case Tom
comes.
(= Maybe Tom will come. We'll buy some
more food now, whether he comes or not;
then we'll already have the food if he
comes.)
- I'll give you my phone number in case
you need to contact me.
- You should insure your bike in case it
is stolen.

- We'll buy some more food if Tom comes.
(= Maybe Tom will come. If he comes,
we'll buy some more food; if he doesn 't come,
we won't buy any more food.)
- You can call me on this number if you need to
contact me.
- You should inform the police if your bike is
stolen.

C. You can use in case + past to say why somebody did something:
* I left my phone switched on in case Jane called. (= because it was possible that Jane would
Call.)
* I drew a map for Sarah in case she had problems finding the house.
* We rang the doorbell again in case they hadn't heard it the first time.
D. In case of is not the same as in case. In case of … . = if there is ... (especially on notices, etc.):
* In case of fire, please leave the building as quickly as possible. (= if there is a fire.)
* In case of emergency, call this number. (= if there is an emergency.)

EXERCISES
A. Sophie is going for a long walk in the country. You think she should take:
some chocolate
a map an anorak
a camera
some water
You think she should take these things because:
it's possible she'll get lost
she might get hungry
perhaps she'll be thirsty
maybe it will rain
she might want to take some pictures
What do you say to Sophie? Write sentences with in case.
1. Take some chocolate in case you get hungry.
2. Take ….......................................................
3. …..............................................................
4. …..............................................................
5. …..............................................................
B. What do you say in these situations? Use in case.
1. lt's possible that jane will need to contact you, so you agree to give her your phone number.
You say: I'll give you my phone number in case you need to contact me.
2. A friend of yours is going away for a long time. Maybe you won't see her again before she
goes, so you decide to say goodbye now.
You say: I'll say goodbye now......................................................................
3. You are shopping in a supermarket with a friend. You think you have everything you need,
but maybe you forgot something. Your friend has the list. You ask her to check it.
You say: Can you. .......................................................................................?
4. You advise a friend about using a computer. You think he should back up (= copy) his fi les
because maybe there will be a problem with his computer (and he could lose all his data).
You say: You should back up ......................................................................
C. Complete the sentences using in case.
1. There was a possibility that Jane would call. So I left my phone switched on.
I left ...................................................................................................
2. I thought that I might forget the name of the book. So I wrote it down.
I wrote down the name of the book.....................................................
3. I thought my parents might be worried about me. So I phoned them.
I phoned my parents ...........................................................................
4. I sent an email to Lisa, but she didn't reply. So I sent another email because maybe she didn't
get the first one.
I sent her another email .......................................................................
5 I met some people when I was on holiday in France. They said they might come to London
one day. I live in London, so I gave them my phone number.
I gave them my phone number ............................................................

D. Put in in case or if.
1. I'll draw a map for you ……..you have problems finding our house.
2. You should tell the police ...........you have any information about the crime.
3. I hope you'll come to Australia sometime. .............you come, you must visit us.
4. This book belongs to Susan. Can you give it to her ............you see her?
5. Write your name and phone number on your bag ....…..you lose it.
6. Go to the lost property office ...........you lose your bag.
7. The burglar alarm will ring somebody tries to break into the house.
8. You should lock your bike to something .......................somebody tries to steal it.
9. I was advised to get insurance .......... I needed medical treatment whi le I was abroad.
10. Remember this ……..your colleagues ask you about the usage of in case and/or if.

ANSWER KEY

A.

2-5
• Take a map in case you get lost.
• Take an anorak in case it rains.
• Take a camera in case you want to take some pictures.
• Take some water in case you're thirsty. / ... in case you are thirsty.
or ... you get thirsty.

B.
2. I'll say goodbye now in case I don't see you again (before you go).
3. Can you check the list in case we forgot something?
or ... forgot anything?
4. You should back up your files in case there's a problem with your computer.
/ ... there is a problem with your computer.
C.
2. in case I forgot it.
3. in case they were worried (about me).
4. in case she didn't get the first one. / in case she hadn't got…/ in case she hadn't gotten ...
5. in case they came to London (one day).
D.
3. If
4. if
5. in case
6. if

7. if
8. in case
9. in case
10. in case
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