"if i forgot" vs "if i will forget"

Question

"if i forgot" vs "if i will forget"

The correct phrase is "if I forgot." This is the appropriate construction to use in conditional sentences in English. The use of the simple past tense "forgot" in this context is more common and natural than using "will forget."

Last Updated: March 11, 2024

This phrase is the correct form to use in conditional sentences to express a hypothetical situation in the past. It is used to talk about a situation that may have happened but the speaker is not sure.

Examples:

If I forgot to lock the door, someone might have entered the house.
If I forgot your birthday, I apologize.
What would you do if I forgot our anniversary?
If I forgot to bring my umbrella, I will get wet in the rain.
If I forgot to turn off the stove, the food might burn.

Alternatives:

if I had forgotten
if I were to forget
if I forget
if I had forgotten
if I had not remembered

The use of "will forget" in this context is not appropriate. It does not convey the intended meaning of a hypothetical situation in the past. Instead, the simple past tense should be used.

Answer 1

if i forgot

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

if i will forget

This phrase is not correct in English.

"if i forgot" vs "if i will forget"

if i forgot

if i will forget

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