What if…? asks what happens if something takes place, or puts forward an idea. Its two main uses are worrying about something that might happen (What if the train is late?) and making a suggestion (What if we meet halfway?). It sounds conversational but fits any setting.
Want to use what if in conversation?
Write a sentence — we'll show the mistakes right away and suggest how to say it more naturally.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
What if + present? (worry or idea); What if + past? (softer suggestion, less likely); What if we + verb? (suggestion)
- What if the flight is delayed and we miss our connection?
- What if we split the report into parts and each write one section?
- What if you asked your manager for a day off instead of quitting?
What changed
First versionWhat if it will rain on the day of the picnic?
RevisionWhat if it rains on the day of the picnic?
The worry is about the future, so will seems logical. But what if works like if: in this part of the sentence, the future is expressed with the present tense, What if it rains? Will appears in the answer: Then we'll go inside.
A past tense after what if makes the question softer and more tentative: What if we left earlier? sounds like a gentle suggestion, while What if we leave earlier? is more direct. There's also a noun, what-ifs, meaning imagined worries: Stop worrying about the what-ifs.
Your turn
I'm nervous about tomorrow's interview. What if they ___ me something I can't answer?
Show the answer
ask — The speaker is worried about tomorrow, but after what if, as after if, the future is expressed with the present tense: ask. Will ask follows the logic of the future, but English doesn't use will in this part of the sentence.
A colleague suggests a plan that seems risky to you. Write a question with what if: say what could go wrong and when.
What if the client changes the brief on Friday and we have no time to redo the design?
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.