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Luyện ngữ pháp - English Grammar in Use - Intermediate ((Unit 114: In case))

Grammar Explanations and Rules

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 (see Unit 25):

I'll leave my phone switched on in case Jane calls. (not in case Jane will call)

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 wilt come. We'll buy some more food now, whether he comes or not; then we'll already have the food if he comes.)	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.)
I'll give you my phone number in case you need to contact me.	You can call me on this number if you need to contact me.
You should insure your bike in case it is stolen.	You should inform the police if your bike is stolen.

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.

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)

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