Conditional I for intermediate learners
We use the conditional Type 1 when we want to talk about situations we believe are real or possible in the future. 'If I study hard, I'll pass the exam.'
What Is Fist Conditional?
The first conditional is a type of sentence used to express plans or events that are possible to happen in the future. It is composed of an 'if-clause' that indicates the possibility of the situation occurring, and a 'main clause' that states the result of the condition being fulfilled. It's possible to reverse the order of the clauses without changing the meaning of the sentence.
Structure
First conditional sentences consist of an 'if-clause', which is in simple present or present continuous tense, and a main clause, which is in the simple future tense.
The structure is as follows:
If you
If the book store
Punctuation
When the sentence begins with the 'if clause', use a comma between the two clauses. Pay attention to the example:
When the result is stated before the 'if clause', there is no need to use a comma in the sentence.
There will be a famine
Uses
The first conditional is used to show the possibility of an event and its result in near future. Take a look at the examples:
I
If Alternatives
In addition to using 'if' to introduce a conditional sentence, you can also use other words such as unless, when, as long as, or in case to indicate a particular condition or situation. For example:
You
Zero Conditionals vs. First Conditionals
The key difference between the zero conditional and the first conditional is that the first conditional requires the use of a modal verb (such as (will, should, can, etc.) in the main clause, whereas the zero conditional does not. The zero conditional is used to state a fact that is generally true, while the first conditional is used to express the possibility of an event occurring in the future. Pay attention to the examples:
If she
This is an example of a first conditional because it's about a possibility in the future and we have a modal verb (will) in the result clause.
Babies
This is an example of the zero conditional because both tenses are present and it's stating a fact.
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Conditional Mood
Have you ever thought about something that might have happened if there was a different situation in the past? Conditionals help us talk about possibilities.
Zero Conditional
'If you don't eat or drink, you die'. 'If you heat water, it boils'. Zero conditional is used to talk about facts or situations which are always true.
Conditional II
Type 2 conditional sentences talk about situations that are hypothetical. There is a possibility that the condition will be fulfilled.
