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The first conditional is a type of conditional sentence that is used to talk about possible future events and their likely consequences. It is called the first conditional because it refers to the first possible outcome or consequence of a hypothetical situation. The structure of a first conditional sentence is:

If + present simple, will + base form verb

Let’s take a look at some examples to understand this better:

Example 1:
If it rains tomorrow, I will stay at home.
This sentence expresses a possible future event and its likely consequence. It means that if it rains tomorrow, then the speaker will stay at home. However, if it does not rain, the speaker may do something else.

Example 2:
If I pass my exams, I will go on vacation.
This sentence expresses a hypothetical situation and its likely consequence. It means that if the speaker passes their exams, they will go on vacation. However, if they do not pass, they may not go on vacation.

Example 3:
If we hurry, we will catch the train.
This sentence expresses a possible future event and its likely consequence. It means that if the speakers hurry, they will catch the train. However, if they don’t hurry, they may miss the train.

Example 4:
If you don’t study, you will fail the test.
This sentence expresses a hypothetical situation and its likely consequence. It means that if you don’t study, you will fail the test. However, if you do study, you may pass the test.

Example 5:
If it snows tonight, the roads will be slippery tomorrow morning.
This sentence expresses a possible future event and its likely consequence. It means that if it snows tonight, the roads will be slippery tomorrow morning. However, if it does not snow, the roads may not be slippery.

The first conditional is used to talk about possible future events and their likely consequences. It is formed by using the present simple tense in the if-clause and the future tense with “will” in the main clause. We can see that the first conditional is often used in everyday conversations to talk about plans, predictions, and possibilities.

Here you can read about the differences between Zero and First conditionals.
Here you can read about the differences between First and Second conditionals.
Click here for an exercise about making First Conditional.

First Conditional Sentences Examples

1. If it rains tomorrow, I’ll stay at home. (The action of staying at home is dependent on the condition of it raining tomorrow.)
2. If you study hard, you’ll pass the exam. (Passing the exam is a result of studying hard.)
3. If they don’t arrive by 5 pm, we’ll leave without them. (Leaving without them is a result of them not arriving by a specified time.)
4. If you press that button, the machine will start. (Starting the machine is a direct result of pressing the button.)
5. If she doesn’t sleep enough, she’ll be tired tomorrow. (Her state of tiredness is dependent on her sleep duration.)
6. If the temperature drops below zero, water will freeze. (This states a scientific fact about water’s freezing point.)
7. If I win the lottery, I’ll buy a new house. (Buying a new house is contingent upon winning the lottery.)
8. If you don’t water the plants, they’ll die. (The plants’ survival is dependent on being watered.)
9. If she finishes her work early, she’ll join us for dinner. (Her joining for dinner is based on her work completion time.)
10. If you don’t wear a coat, you’ll catch a cold. (Catching a cold is presented as a potential consequence of not wearing a coat.)
11. If the movie starts at 8 pm, we should leave by 7:30 pm. (The time we should leave is based on the movie’s start time.)
12. If you save money now, you’ll have enough for the trip. (Having enough money for the trip is a result of saving money now.)
13. If the sun shines, we’ll go for a picnic. (Going for a picnic is dependent on the weather condition.)
14. If the team plays well, they’ll win the match. (Winning the match is a potential outcome of the team’s performance.)
15. If you bake the cake at a high temperature, it will burn. (The cake burning is a consequence of baking it at a high temperature.)
16. If you don’t reply to the email, they’ll assume you’re not interested. (The assumption of disinterest is based on the action of not replying to the email.)
17. If we don’t leave now, we’ll miss the train. (Missing the train is a consequence of not leaving immediately.)
18. If he practices daily, he’ll become a better musician. (Becoming a better musician is a result of practicing daily.)
19. If you don’t charge the battery, the device won’t work. (The device working is dependent on the battery being charged.)
20. If she submits the application today, she’ll get an early bird discount. (Receiving an early bird discount is contingent upon when she submits the application.)

First Conditional Questions Examples

1. If it rains tomorrow, will you stay at home? (This question asks about the person’s decision to stay at home based on the condition of it raining tomorrow.)
2. If she calls, will you answer? (This question inquires about the action of answering based on the condition of her calling.)
3. If they offer you the job, will you accept it? (This question seeks to know the decision to accept a job based on the condition of being offered it.)
4. If we leave now, will we make it on time? (This question asks about the likelihood of arriving on time based on the condition of leaving immediately.)
5. What will you do if it rains tomorrow? (This question asks about the specific action someone will take based on the condition of it raining tomorrow.)

Here you can read more about questions in First Conditional and find more examples.

First conditional negative sentence examples

1. If you don’t hurry, you will miss the train.
2. If they don’t study, they won’t pass the exam.
3. If she doesn’t call us, we won’t know where to meet her.
4. If it doesn’t rain this weekend, we will go hiking.
5. If we don’t leave early, we won’t catch the first show.
6. If he doesn’t apologize, she won’t speak to him again.
7. If you don’t water the plants, they will not survive.
8. If they don’t save money, they won’t be able to buy a new house.
9. If you don’t ask for help, you won’t get your problem solved.
10. If we don’t book the tickets now, we will not get good seats.

How to form the First Conditional negative sentences you can read here.

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Related Articles:

• Second Conditional Sentences With Examples
• Difference Between Zero and First Conditionals with Examples
• Difference Between First and Second Conditionals with Examples
• What are Conditionals?

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