| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Zero | If you heat water to 100 degrees celsius, it boils. |
| First | If it starts to rain, I will take an umbrella. |
| Second | If I won the lottery, I would travel the world. |
| Third | If you had woken up earlier, you wouldn’t have missed the flight. |
| Past action with present result | If I had finished that project, I would be a millionaire now. |
| Present condition with past result | If you were more hardworking, you would have succeeded. |
| Future action with past result | If I didn’t have an important meeting tomorrow, I would have stayed up late. |
Introduction
The first conditional, also known as the “real conditional” or “will-conditional,” is used to express situations that are possible or likely to happen in the future if a certain condition is met. This construction typically reflects real and possible scenarios where the outcome is contingent on a specific condition occurring.
Formula
If + present simple, will + base form of the verb.
Other connectors (instead of “If”): When, as soon as, in case, unless, as long as, after…
Modal verbs & imperatives (instead of “will”): May, might, shall, should, could, imperatives (go, etc.)
Example
If it rains tomorrow, we will cancel the picnic.
- Explanation: In this sentence, the condition is “If it rains tomorrow” (using the present simple tense “rains”). The result or consequence is “we will cancel the picnic” (using “will” + base form “cancel”). This sentence indicates that canceling the picnic is a real possibility that depends on the condition of rain occurring.