We use the 1st Conditional to talk about things that are likely to occur in the future.
Here is the grammatical structure:
The 1st Condition contains an if clause and a result clause. Either of these clauses can go first. In the examples above, the if clause is first. But you could also say:
We will see many squirrels if we go to the park.
We won’t see any squirrels if we don’t go to the park.
The only difference is that we don’t add a comma when the result clause is at the beginning.
Here are a few things to keep in mind about the 1st Conditional:
1.) Will is a special type of auxiliary verb called a modal auxiliary verb. If you are not familiar with it, or want to review it, check out how to use will to talk about the future.
2.) We often contract the SUBJECT + WILL. It looks like this:
I will = I’ll
You will = You’ll
He will = He’ll
She will = She’ll
It will = It’ll
We will = We’ll
They will = They’ll
3.) WILL + NOT is contracted as WON’T.
4.) We can use other words in place of ‘if’. Some words that we can use instead are:
when
while
before
after
as soon as
Try making your own 1st Conditional sentences with the words above. Read the examples and then answer the questions.
When I get home, I’ll walk the dog. What will you do when you get home?
While I make dinner, I’ll feed my cat. What will you do while you make dinner?
Before I adopt another pet, I’ll think about it carefully. What will you do before you adopt another pet?
After I play with my pets, I’ll rest. What will you do, after you play with your pets?
As soon as I open a bag of treats, my cat will ask for some. What will your pet do, when you open a bag of treats?
