1. What is the 1st conditional?
The 1st conditional is an ‘if’ phrase for cause and effect.
That means ‘if x happens, y will happen‘.
It uses the word ‘will’.
2. How to make the 1st conditional
The 1st conditional is made by:
- ‘if’ clause (if + present tense) + ‘will’ clause (will + base verb)
The ‘will’ clause looks the same as the future tense, although technically it is not.
*The base verb is the verb in its simplest form, with no ‘to’, ‘ing’, or past tense ending.
| ‘If’ clause (if + present tense) | ‘Will’ clause (will + base) | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| if you do this | I will give you $10 | If you do this, I will give you $10. |
| if you don’t eat | you will be hungry | If you don’t eat, you will be hungry. |
| if you are late | she will kill you | If you are late, she will kill you. |
| if you put water in hot oil | it will start a fire | If you put water in hot oil, it will start a fire. |
The ‘if clause’ can be placed at the start or at the end.
| ‘if’ clause at start | ‘if’ clause at end |
|---|---|
| If you don’t eat, you will be hungry. | You will be hungry if you don’t eat. |
| If you are late, she will kill you. | She will kill you if you are late. |
3. Overlap between 0 conditional and 1st conditional
The 0 conditional is for relationships that are always true.
The 1st conditional is for cause and effect.
The meanings of the 0 conditional and 1st conditional are very close. Often either can be used:
| 0 conditional | 1st conditional |
|---|---|
| If you press this button, the light turns on. | If you press this button, the light will turn on. |
| If a cat sees a mouse, it chases it. | If a cat sees a mouse, it will chase it. |
4. Exercises
Complete the sentences:
(i) if you eat KFC for breakfast, lunch and dinner,……
(ii) if you study really hard for this exam,….
(iii) You will have lots of friends if……