🌧 Why “If It Will Rain” Is Wrong on TOEIC

How TOEIC Tests You on “If” Sentences

Some sentences sound fine in everyday speech — but TOEIC will still mark them wrong. One of the biggest offenders? If-sentences.

1️⃣ The Common Trap

❌ If it will rain, we will cancel the event.
✅ If it rains, we will cancel the event.

Meaning is the same, but TOEIC expects the second one. Why?
In formal business English, we don’t use “will” right after “if” when talking about the future. The “if” already shows it’s about something that might happen.

2️⃣ The Other Trap: “Would Have” + “Would Have”

❌ If I would have known, I would have helped.
✅ If I had known, I would have helped.

TOEIC expects the cleaner, standard form “If I had known” — especially in business writing, emails, and formal reports.

3️⃣ What TOEIC Is Really Testing

They’re not checking if your meaning is clear — they’re checking if you match the form used in professional English.
Many wrong answers on TOEIC are sentences that sound fine in casual conversation but don’t match the expected business-English pattern.

4️⃣ TOEIC-Style Practice Questions

Q1. If the flight ___ late, we’ll reschedule the meeting.
(A) will be
(B) is
(C) would be
(D) had been
✅ Answer: (B) is — “If” + present tense for future plans.

Q2. If I ___ your number, I would have called.
(A) would have known
(B) had known
(C) know
(D) will know
✅ Answer: (B) had known — Standard form in formal English.

Q3. If the order ___ tomorrow, we can start production next week.
(A) arrives
(B) will arrive
(C) arrived
(D) would arrive
✅ Answer: (A) arrives — “If” + present tense, even though it’s about the future.

Q4. If we ___ the documents earlier, we could have finished on time.
(A) send
(B) had sent
(C) will send
(D) would send
✅ Answer: (B) had sent — Matches the pattern TOEIC expects.

📌 Strategy / Takeaway

  1. When “if” is talking about the future, use a present form — not “will.”

  2. When “if” is talking about something that didn’t happen, use “had” + past form — not “would have.”

  3. Don’t trust casual speech — TOEIC is formal.

Final Word

TOEIC’s “if” traps aren’t about tricky words — they’re about using the form that business English expects. Learn the pattern, match it every time, and you’ll avoid losing easy points.

For more strategies and resources to master TOEIC “if” sentence traps, visit the English Library Collection and start locking in conditional confidence today.

FAQ – English (with answers) Q: Why is “If it will rain” wrong on TOEIC? A: TOEIC expects you to say “If it rains.” The word “if” already shows it’s about the future, so “will” is not used. Q: Can I say “If it will happen” in TOEIC writing? A: No. Say “If it happens.” TOEIC prefers the simple form after “if,” even for future ideas. Q: Why does TOEIC mark “If I would have known” as incorrect? A: TOEIC wants “If I had known.” The double “would have” structure is not accepted in formal English. Q: What is the right way to say “If I knew, I would…” on the test? A: That’s correct for an imaginary situation. TOEIC accepts “If I knew, I would help.” Q: Can I use “will” after “if” in any TOEIC sentence? A: Almost never. TOEIC expects you to use the simple form after “if,” not “will.” Q: I said “If he will call, I’ll answer.” Why is that wrong? A: TOEIC expects “If he calls, I’ll answer.” Just use present tense after “if.” Q: What’s wrong with “If I would know, I’d tell you”? A: TOEIC expects “If I knew, I’d tell you.” The correct form is “knew,” not “would know.” Q: Why do I see “If I had known…” on the TOEIC test? A: It shows something you regret from the past. TOEIC uses this to test precise sentence structure. Q: Can I use “If I will…” when talking about the future? A: Not after “if.” Just say “If I go,” “If I call,” etc. TOEIC sees “If I will…” as incorrect. Q: Is “If it rains, I will cancel” okay on the test? A: Yes. This is the expected TOEIC pattern — “if” + present tense, then “will.” Q: Why does TOEIC test if-sentences so much? A: Because many people use the wrong form when talking about the future or imaginary situations. It’s an easy trap. Q: How can I know if an if-sentence is wrong? A: Check if there’s a “will” right after “if.” If yes, it’s usually wrong. Q: I always say “If he would come.” Is that okay on TOEIC? A: TOEIC wants “If he came” or “If he had come.” “Would come” is not used after “if.” Q: Why is “If I had knew” wrong? A: “Knew” is past. TOEIC expects “had known” — the correct form for past regret. Q: Can I say “If you will be free, let me know”? A: For TOEIC, say “If you are free, let me know.” Keep it simple. Q: What’s the rule for if-sentences on TOEIC? A: Don’t think about rules. Think: “Does this sound like a formal sentence a manager would write?” Q: Why is “If I know it, I will help” okay, but “If I will know it” is not? A: Because TOEIC expects present tense after “if.” “Will know” sounds wrong in that spot. Q: When is “If I had” correct on the test? A: When talking about the past and what didn’t happen. Example: “If I had time, I would have joined.” Q: Why is “If I would’ve…” wrong even though I hear it a lot? A: Casual speech is different. TOEIC wants “If I had…” — especially in formal or business settings. Q: I always get confused by “if” sentences — how can I stop making mistakes? A: Focus on meaning. If it’s about the future, use present tense. If it’s about the past, use “had.” Don’t guess based on how it sounds.
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