You have probably heard about conditional sentences in English and thought it was a complex topic. Well, it doesn’t need to be. And here’s what the first conditional (also called conditional type 1) is and how it works.
What Conditional Sentences Are
It is said that the English language has 4 different types of conditional structures: zero conditional, first conditional, second conditional, and third conditional. However, to be completely honest, we have to add one more: the mixed conditional. Click here for a summary of all conditional sentences!
First Conditional
This structure is used to talk about a hypothesis. You can use it to talk about what will happen in the future if something else happens in the present. So, these hypothetical things are realistic. They may happen. There is a real possibility for it to happen. But we don’t know for sure.
The if-clause (the part that presents the condition for something to happen) may or may not happen but if it happens, the main clause (the part that presents the result) is always supposed to happen in the future.
Let’s understand how this conditional is formed.
| Type of clause | If-clause (condition) | Main clause (result) |
| Verb tense | Present simple | Future with will (not) |
| Example | If I study every day, | I‘ll be fluent in English faster |
In the example given above, you can notice that it refers to something that will happen in the future if something else happens now in the present.
More examples of things that will happen in the future if something else happens in the present are shown below.
| If it rains, I‘ll go to work by car |
| If it gets sunny, I‘ll go for a walk in the park |
| If I study hard, I‘ll pass the math test |
| He‘ll miss his flight if he doesn’t leave now |
| They‘ll be tired tomorrow if they party all night |
Using the comma
As you can notice in the examples given above when you use the order if present simple + future with will (not) you use a comma (,) to separate the if-clause from the main clause.
However, when you use the order future with will (not) + if present simple you don’t need to use a comma to separate them.
Using when, unless, as long as, as soon as, or in case instead of if
It’s also common to use when, unless, as long as, as soon as, or in case instead of if with first conditional sentences. Look at the examples below.
| When you arrive, I‘ll make you a delicious lunch |
| Unless you leave it behind, our relationship won’t work out |
| As long as you don’t disturb me, I won’t make you leave |
| As soon as you get home, we‘ll watch a movie together |
| In case you lose track of your luggage, contact the airline company |
Mastering the first conditional
Now you have all the information you need to master this structure in English. It’s not that complicated, is it? Remember that for you to master this structure, use it confidently and never forget it anymore, you should try and use it whenever possible. Don’t forget: if you use it every day, you will eventually master it.
If you want to master every aspect of English grammar, take a look at our awesome article on the best books to learn English grammar.
