Unit 9 – first conditional

There are many types of conditional if structures, but let’s start with the first conditional.
Let’s look at:
When we use the first conditional.
How we make a sentence in the first conditional.
When do we use it?
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition A2

Function: the first conditional
Look at the first half of what the boy says: ‘If I feel better, …’
Is he sure he will feel better in the future or is it a possibility?
There is a big concert in the main square this evening. Are you going?
It depends. If I feel better, I will go. What about you and your family?
If it rains, we won’t go out and we’ll watch it on TV.
Look at what the boy says: ‘If I feel better, I will go.’ Is he talking about the past, present or future?
Now look at the full sentence: ‘If I feel better, I will go.’
There are two clauses (parts) of the sentence. Which is the consequence and which is the conditional/situation clause?
Future.
It’s a possible situation.
If I feel better, I will go.
conditional consequence
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition A2

Function: the first conditional
It depends. If I feel better, I will go. What about you and your family?
If it rains, we won’t go out and we’ll watch it on TV.
To talk about possible future situations and consequences.
There are two parts to a first conditional sentence:
1. The If clause: the conditional/situation clause.
2. The consequence clause.
clause 1 clause 2
If I feel better, I will go.
conditional if consequence
How do we make sentences in the first conditional?
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition A2

Form: the first conditional
It depends. If I feel better, I will go. What about you and your family?
If it rains, we won’t go out.
Look at the two highlighted examples and fill in the missing words in the boxes.
If
infinitive
present tense
will/won’t
Won’t is a contraction of two words. What are they?
will not
What is the contraction of will?
’ll
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition A2

Form: the first conditional
It depends. If I feel better, I will go. What about you and your family?
If it rains, we won’t go out.
You can change the order of the clauses, but if the consequence clause is first, you don’t use a comma. Look:
I will go if I feel better.
We won’t go out if it rains.
We can use the contractions of will:
1. positive: will = ’ll
2. negative: will not = won’t
Let’s practise!
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition A2