First conditional
The first conditional talks about possible events in the future:
• If I have some free time at the weekend, I will fix my old
bicycle. (I don’t think I have anything to do at the weekend.)
• If he passes his driving exam, he will be really glad. (I think
he is a decent driver.)
• If they arrive at the cinema late, they won’t watch the
movie they chose. (The traffic in SP is always terrible, so
there is a chance that they might arrive late.)
• If I have some free time at the weekend, I will fix
my old bicycle.
• If they arrive at the cinema late, they won’t watch
the movie they chose.
• If he passes his driving exam, he will be really glad.
Classic first conditional formula
• If + present simple →
will (do)
Alternative conditional conjunctions
• If I have a raise, I will buy a new car.
• If I don’t have a raise, I won’t buy a new car.
• Unless I have a raise, I won’t buy a new car
Unless ≈ if...not
Alternative conditional conjunctions
• I will buy a new car, if I have a raise.
• I will buy a new car, provided that I have a raise.
• I will buy a new car, granted that I have a raise.
• I will buy a new car, so long as I have a raise.
• I will buy a new car, on the condition that I have a
raise.
Alternative models of first conditional
• If you pass by the newsstand, get me this
month’s issue of Vogue, please.
• If you pass by the newsstand, can/could you
get me this month’s issue of Vogue?
• If you pass by the newsstand, you
should/must get this month’s issue of Vogue.
It’s really great.
Future time clauses
• A time clause is the part of a sentence that
presents a reference of time for another
sentence (the main clause).
• Future time clauses tell us when, in the future,
something is going to happen.
• As soon as I finish work, I’m going home.
• When I get home, I’ll take a shower.
• After I’ve taken a shower, I’m going to cook dinner.
• While I am having dinner, I’ll listen to music.
• Before I go to bed, I must finish correcting some
exercises.
Future time clause formula
Time Sub. + present tense →
Future tense
Time subordinators = when, as soon as, no sooner than, while,
as, before, after, until, since, whenever.