The first conditional
Form
if + Simple Present, will-Future
Example: If I find her address, I will send her an invitation.
The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't
use a comma.
Example: I will send her an invitation if I find her address.
Example: If I don’t see him this afternoon, I will phone him in the
evening.
Use
Conditional Sentences Type I or First Conditional refer to the future. An action in
the future will only happen if a certain condition is fulfilled by that time. We don't
know for sure whether the condition actually will be fulfilled or not, but the
conditions seems rather realistic – so we think it is likely to happen.
Example: If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.
I want to send an invitation to a friend. I just have to find her address. I am quite
sure, however, that I will find it.
Example: If John has the money, he will buy a Ferrari.
I know John very well and I know that he earns a lot of money and that he loves
Ferraris. So I think it is very likely that sooner or later he will have the money to buy
a Ferrari.
when / as soon as / unless / until / after / first conditional
(if) Tell him as soon as you can.
I’ll tell him when/after I get back from lunch.
I think it’ll be better if you wait until Friday.
I won’t accept it unless he gives a good reason. /…if he doesn’t give …
You’ll only make things worse if you go and see him.
• Use the present tense after if, when, as soon as, after, unless and until
although you are talking about the future.
We’ll stay here until she comes. NOT …until she’ll come.
Turn off the TV when you go to bed. NOT …when you’ll go to bed.
• The other verb in the independent clause is usually in the future or an
imperative.
I’ll come and see you when I have time.
Come and see us when you have time.
• unless + a positive verb can be used instead of if…not.
You’ll be late unless you leave now. / You’ll be late if you don’t leave now.
Exercises
Use the first conditional with the given verbs.
1. If you ……............... (help) me with my homework, I……............... (finish) it in time
to go to the cinema.
2. If it……............... (not/rain), the students……............... (practice) sport in the
playground.
3. Jane……............... (come) home early if she……............... (not/be) very busy at
work.
4. Our teacher……............... (be) pleased if we……............... (do) our homework.
5. If Robert……............... (play) football with us, we……............... (win) the match.
Choose IF or UNLESS.
1. She won’t know the truth ........................ you tell it to her
2. ........................ you arrive early, you’ll be able to meet the customers before the
meeting.
3. ........................ she eats healthy food, she won’t lose some weight
4. They won’t arrive on time........................they finish the work early
5. Will she be able to eat some cake ........................I put eggs in it?
Choose IF or UNLESS and match each beginning with a suitable ending.
1. She won’t go to work ...........................
2. Will you take part in the race ...........................
3. I won’t be able to visit you tomorrow ...........................
4. The project won’t be ready today ...........................
5. I won’t receive the letter ...........................
a) Sally doesn’t lend me her car.
b) we spend all the evening working on it.
c) she feels better tomorrow.
d) the address is written incorrectly.
e) your bike is ready to be used?
Complete with the first conditional.
1. If I go to France this summer, I ........................................ (visit/undoubtedly)
Chartres Cathedral.
2. If I get bored at the meeting, I ........................................ (leave/probably) early.
3. If I ........................................ (move) to the suburbs, I will spend an hour commuting
each way.
4. If the defendant is convicted, he ........................................ (appeal/certainly).
5. If that company fails, thousands of workers ........................................ (lose) their
jobs.
6. If the retailer ........................................ (sell not.) enough of our product, he will stop
buying from us.
7. The price of that company's stock will surely fall if its CEO ........................................
(go) to prison.
8. Government spending ........................................ (reduce) significantly if the
president signs the bill.
9. "If you use drugs, you ........................................ (be) sorry sooner or later," said Dr.
Miller.
10.If that bill ........................................ (become) law, it will increase the price of a new
car by 10%.
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs.
1. When the manager…………………………….. (arrive), they ……………………………..
(start) the meeting.
2. If he …………………………….. (reach) the sales target this year, the company
…………………………….. (award) him.
3. We …………………………….. (start) the construction of a shopping center as soon as
the government …………………………….. (allow) us to begin.
4. After she …………………………….. (find) a good house in Karşıyaka,
she…………………………….. (buy) some new furniture.
5. If Alex …………………………….. (feel) better at the weekend, he
…………………………….. (play) in the match against Milan.
6. I will have to finish the reports before the manager …………………………… (call).
7. She …………………………….. (eat) anything until the doctor……………………………..
(tell) her to eat.
