Hey there! This is TOP episode 36: The First Conditional

My name’s Ola and I am an English teacher.

This podcast is for you if you’re an English learner who wants to speak English with more confidence and get rid of speaking barriers. It’s time you started speaking English fearlessly! Go to my website for full transcripts and worksheets to each episode. Happy learning! 

Thank you for tuning in. I’m happy for you because you found time for your English. It’s grammar today. First, I’ll remind you what conditionals are, then we’ll talk about the structure of the first conditional. Then we’ll work out the answers to common problems with the first conditional. For example: Can I change the order of the clauses? Can I use ‘unless’ in the first conditional? What other structures can I use instead of ‘will’? Are you ready? Let’s begin. 

First, let me give you a quick review. A conditional sentence consists of two parts. If-clause (with a condition) and a result-clause, the main clause. These are two connected events. 

The first conditional is used to talk about possible future events and their likely results.

If this happens, this will likely happen. 

Let’s now talk about the structure of the first conditional. 

I look at my watch, I’m still at home. I have a ticket for a concert. It’s getting late, I’m leaving but I know the likelihood of being late is pretty high. I’m thinking:

If I’m late, I will miss the show.

Will I miss the show? I don’t know. It’s possible. It’s a real possibility. I might not miss the show, but the likelihood of me missing the show is there, and it’s high. 

The structure of a first conditional sentence looks like this:

If + present simple, will + verb, so:

If I’m late, I will miss the show.

For us, speakers of Polish it’s just insane, right? We talk about the future using the future tense. Well, in English, in this case, we use the present simple to talk about a future event.

If I am late, I will miss the show.

Use the first conditional to talk about things that are real, like redictions, plans, threats, offers, suggestions, superstitions. Later, I’ll give you plenty of examples to repeat.

Now. The order of the clauses isn’t fixed, you can change it. 

I will miss the show if I’m late. 

Does it always have to be ‘will’ in a result-clause? The answer is: no, it doesn’t. It doesn’t have to be ‘will’. You can use other modal verbs which express a future possible result. For example:

I’m going to visit my friends by the sea if I get time off work.

Going to. Going to can be used in a result clause. 

If I get time off work I’m going to visit my friends by the sea.

We might organise a barbecue if the weather is sunny tomorrow. 

Might and may can be used as well. If they are, it sounds like the possibility is quite low. 

If the weather is sunny tomorrow, we might organise a barbecue.

Next one:

If you go to Greece, you should buy a guidebook. A good guidebook.

Should. I used ‘should’ in this sentence, because I made a suggestion. 

If you go to Greece, you should buy a good guidebook.

Another one:

If you want to go skiing I can lend you my gear. 

This time I’m offering something. Can is great for offers.

If you want to go skiing I can lend you my gear. (my equipment)

Can you make a first conditional sentence with a negative clause? Absolutely! Yes, you can. What’s more, you can make two negative clauses. For example:

If you don’t wash the dishes, I won’t cook tomorrow.

Won’t is a contraction of ‘will not’. So Will not = won’t. Make sure you pronounce it correctly with the ‘əʊ’ sound. Won’t. 

If you don’t wash the dishes, I won’t cook tomorrow.

Ok. What about  ‘unless’? Can I use ‘unless’ in the first conditional? Sure you can! Use unless instead of if…not

I won’t cook tomorrow unless you wash the dishes. 

If I put unless first, the sentence sounds more formal, and if I’m talking about everyday chores it’s not suitable to use such a formal expression. Listen to this:

Unless you wash the dishes, I won’t cook tomorrow.

It sounds more natural to say:

I won’t cook tomorrow unless you wash the dishes.

OK. Now.  In the result-clause, you can use the imperative. So you can give orders. For example:

If you go to the shops, buy some chocolate. 

If you go to the shops, buy some chocolate. 

And now. Can I make questions in the first conditional? Yup! Make a question in the result-clause. For example:

How will I get to the airport if there are no buses on Sunday? 

Or, for example:

Can you check this for me if you’re not too busy?

Fantastic. Ok. Let’s move on. ‘If’ is not obligatory. Remember ‘unless’? Yeah. Ok, so instead of if you can use a variety of other conjunctions. Let’s see some examples:

When he is older, he is going to be an astronaut. When.

I’ll talk to you after I finish my work.  After.

I’ll call you before I leave home. Before.

Call me as soon as you arrive. As soon as.

I’ll wait here until you finish your shopping. Until.

In these examples, you’ve just heard we deal with actions or events that are definitely going or not going to happen. We no longer express probability. Right? There is no ‘if’. No, we say as soon as, after, before, when, until. I’m sure what is going to happen.

Finally, the last question. Is it obligatory to use the present simple and future simple tenses?

Well, guess what! It’s not! It’s obligatory though to use the present tense with ‘if’ and future tense in the result-clause. Any present tense and any future tense.  

If you’re going out tonight, take an umbrella. 

Present continuous.

If you’ve never been to London, you’ must visit it! 

Present perfect.

After  I’ve done my shopping, I’ll go for a cup of coffee. 

Present perfect with ‘after’

Now it’s time to practice some more examples. Please listen, try to remember the sentence and then say it out loud. I’ll give you examples of predictions, offers, superstitions, suggestions, warning, threats, plans. Ok, let’s do it.

If I win the lottery, I’ll travel around the world.

If you don’t tell me who was it, I’ll never speak to you again.

If you go on holiday next year, I‘ll go with you.

If I see mum today, I’ll tell her to call you.

If you don’t come to my party, I won’t come to yours.

If it rains, I won’t go to the park.

If I’m late, I will miss the show.

I’m going to visit my friends by the sea if I get time off work.

We might organise a barbecue if the weather is sunny tomorrow. 

If you go to Greece, you should buy a good guidebook.

If you want to go skiing I can lend you my gear. 

If you don’t wash the dishes, I won’t cook tomorrow.

I won’t cook tomorrow unless you wash the dishes. 

If you go to the shops, buy some chocolate. 

How will I get to the airport if there are no buses on Sunday?

Can you check this for me if you’re not too busy?

After  I’ve done my shopping, I’ll go for a cup of coffee.

When he is older, he is going to be an astronaut. 

I’ll talk to you after I finish my work.  

I’ll call you before I leave home.

Call me as soon as you arrive.

I’ll wait here until you finish your shopping. 

If you’re going out tonight, take an umbrella. 

If you’ve never been to London, you’ must visit it! 

Well done! Good job! And thanks for staying with me till the end of this episode.  I hope this helped you with understanding the first conditional. I’m going to continue the series, so please stay vigilant. The second conditional will be on TOP any time soon. 

Teacherola.com/36, there you’ll find a full transcript as well as the worksheet. It’s free of course. Teacherola.com/36.

If you think this podcast is valuable, share your opinion in the comment at teacherola.com/36 and tell your friends about me. 

In the next episode, we will focus on pronunciation. long /uː/ sound vs the short /ʊ/ sound. Subscribe my podcast to make sure you won’t miss it. 

Thank you for listening and till next time! Happy learning. Bye!