Purpose
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to correctly form first conditional sentences to talk about a real, possible future situation.
Lesson Explanation
The first conditional describes a real, possible situation in the future and its likely result. It has two parts:
If + simple present, will + base verb If it rains, I will stay home.
The if clause uses simple present (from Part 2, Lesson 1), even though it refers to the future — this is a genuinely important, specific rule: you do not use “will” after “if” in this structure.
The order of the two parts can be reversed, with a comma only needed when “if” comes first: I will stay home if it rains. (no comma needed here).
Practice Questions
1. What tense follows “if” in a first conditional sentence?
View Answer
Simple present.
2. What comes in the result part of a first conditional sentence?
View Answer
will + base verb
3. Complete: “If it ___ (rain), I will stay home.”
View Answer
rains
4. Correct or incorrect: “If it will rain, I will stay home.”
View Answer
Incorrect — “will” should not follow “if”; use simple present instead.
5. Rewrite correctly: “If it will rain, I will stay home.”
View Answer
If it rains, I will stay home.
6. Complete: “If you study, you ___ (pass) the exam.”
View Answer
will pass
7. Does a comma appear when the “if” clause comes second, as in “I will stay home if it rains”?
View Answer
No, no comma is needed.
8. What kind of situation does the first conditional describe?
View Answer
A real, possible future situation and its likely result.
9. Complete: “If she ___ (call), tell her I am busy.”
View Answer
calls
10. Where does the comma go when “if” comes first in the sentence?
View Answer
After the entire “if” clause, before the result.
11. Complete: “If they ___ (arrive) late, we will start without them.”
View Answer
arrive
12. Write a complete first conditional sentence about studying and passing a test.
View Answer
If I study, I will pass the test.