Learn English – If only, with would in two clauses (if only, would + infinitive, would + infinitive )

conditional-constructions

In Swan's Practical English Usage section 265 on (if only) item (b) would + infinitive (without to) to talk about the future, he gives the following example:

If only it would stop raining, we could go out

I was wondering if we could use (would) in the main clause too. I googled up but all the pages I have seen aren't any different than Swan's. Here's an example I made it up:

If only he would sell me his car this week, I would give him $1000 more.

Best Answer

The following sentence does not use "if only..." idiomatically, IMO.

If only he would sell me his car this week, I would give him $1000 more.

In an if-only statement, the independent (main) clause expresses something that becomes possible when the if-only condition is true. The thing made possible is something that is wished for.

In your example, "I would give him $1000 more" is not something that is made possible and wished for. It is a quid-pro-quo.

If he would sell me his car this week, I would give him $1000 more.

But this following sentence would be idiomatic if his selling you the car would allow you to drive to a gig where you could earn the additional money, for example; if you had a fleeting opportunity:

If only he would sell me his car this week, I could give him $1000 more.