Study this example situation:
Geoff is a football referee. He always wears two watches during a game because it is possible that one watch will stop.
He wears two watches in case one of them stops.
In case one of them stops ='because it is possible one of them will stop'.
Some more examples of in case:
* Ann might phone tonight. I don't want to go out in case she phones. (= because it is possible she will phone)
* I'll draw a map for you in case you can't find our house. (= because it is possible you won't be able to find it)
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 don't want to go out tonight in case Ann phones. (not 'in case Ann will phone')
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:
1 in case
* We'll buy some more food in case Tom comes.
(= Perhaps 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 bicycle in case it is stolen.
2 if
* We'll buy some more food if Tom comes.
(= Perhaps 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 phone me at the hotel if you need to contact me.
* You should inform the police if your bicycle is stolen.
You can use in case (+ past) to say why somebody did something:
* We bought some more food in case Tom came. (= because it was possible that Tom would come)
* I drew a map for Sarah in case she couldn't find the house.
* We rang the bell 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 in notices etc.):
* In case of fire, please leave the building as quickly as possible. (= if there is a fire)
* In case of emergency, telephone this number. (= if there is an emergency)
EXERCISES
113.1 Barbara is going for a long walk in the country. She is going to take these things with her:
some chocolate a map an umbrella her camera some water a towel
She has decided to take these things because:
perhaps she'll want to have a swim
it's possible she'll get lost
she might get hungry
she might want to take some photographs
perhaps she'll get thirsty
perhaps it will rain
Write sentences with in case saying why Barbara has decided to take these things with her.
1. She's going to take some chocolate in case she gets hungry._
2. She's going to take a map in case ---.
3. She's going to ---.
4. ---.
5. ---.
6. ---.
113.2 What do you say in these situations? Use in case.
1. It's possible that Mary will need to contact you, so you give her your phone number.
You say: Here's my phone number ---.
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 ---.
3. You are shopping in a supermarket with a friend. You think you have everything you need but perhaps you've forgotten something. Your friend has the list. You ask him to check it.
You say: Can you ---.
113.3 Write sentences with in case.
1. There was a possibility that Ann would phone. So I didn't go out.
I didn't go out in case Ann phoned._
2. John thought that he might forget the name of the book. So he wrote it down.
He wrote down ---.
3. 1 thought my parents might be worried about me. So I phoned them.
I phoned ---.
4. 1 wrote a letter to Jane but I didn't receive a reply. So I wrote to her again because I thought that perhaps she hadn't received my first letter. I ---.
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 address. I ---.
113.4 Put in case or if.
1. Ann might phone this evening. I don't want to go out _in case_ she phones.
2. You should tell the police _if_ your bicycle is stolen.
3. 1 hope you'll come to London sometime. --- you come, you can stay with us,
4. This letter is for Susan. Can you give it to her -- you see her?
5. Write your name and address 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. I've just painted the door. I'll put a WET PAINT notice next to it --- somebody doesn't realize it's just been painted.
9. I was advised to arrange insurance --- I needed medical treatment while I was abroad.
113.1
2 she gets lost
3 She's going to take an umbrella in case it rains.
4 She's going to take her camera in case she wants to take some photographs.
5 She's going to take some water in case she gets thirsty.
6 She's going to take a towel in case she wants to have a swim.
113.2
1 in case you need to contact me.
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've forgotten something? or ... forgotten anything?
113.3
2 He wrote down the name of the book in case he forgot it.
3 I phoned my parents in case they were worried about me.
4 I wrote to Jane again in case she hadn't received my first letter.
5 I gave them my address in case they came to London one day.
113.4
3 If 4 if 5 in case
6 if 7 if 8 in case
9 in case
