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First Conditional Sentences and Questions

Published on March 6, 2024 | Updated on September 16, 2024

Today I will explain how to make first conditional sentences and questions in English.

But first, let’s understand what a conditional sentence is:

Conditional sentences are sentences that express hypothetical situations and their possible consequences

There are several types of conditional sentences in English

#1Zero Conditional
#2First Conditional
#3Second Conditional
#4Third Conditional
#5Mixed Conditional

Since this post focuses on the First Conditional, let’s define

The first conditional is used to talk about possible future events and their likely outcomes.

These are some examples of first conditional sentences:

  • If I make good money, I will buy a car
  • If I make good money, I will make a trip to France
  • If I have a kid, I will teach him English

Now that you know what first conditionals sentences are, let’s learn about what you know to make them correctly



Structure to Make First Conditional Questions

If you want to make first conditional sentences and questions, You need to know:

  • Basic Vocabulary (Of course)
  • Simple Present / Present Simple (Easy)
  • Simple Future / Future Simple (Easy)

This is the structure to make first conditional sentences in English

First Conditional Sentences

These are examples of first conditional sentences:

#1If I study hard, I will pass the exam.
#2I will pass the exam if I study hard.
#1If I join a study group, I will understand complex topics.
#2I will understand complex topics if I join a study group.
#1If I work hard, I will be promoted
#2I will promoted if I work hard
#1If I don’t prepare myself well, I will not get the job
#2 I will not get the job, If I don’t prepare myself well

Practice: First Conditional Sentences

It is time to become familiar with conditional sentences by doing a simple practice


Exercise: Jobs and Conditional Sentences

Let’s review what we know about conditional sentences and professions


Modals and First Conditional Sentences

Something that you gotta try is using modal verbs, instead of the future simple/ simple future

What are modal verbs?

Modal verbs in English are a special category of verbs that are used to express various degrees of possibility, necessity, permission, ability, or obligation

These are some of the examples of modal verbs that we can use to make first conditional sentences

Can Could
MayShould
MightMust

The structure is pretty similar, you just have to make a small variation

First Conditional Sentences

So now we can make sentences such as:

  • If you study hard, you might pass the exam.
  • If he arrives early, he may catch the train.
  • If you get the money, you should take computer courses.
  • If you win the fight, he could fight for the belt.
  • If you get the money, you must repair that old building
  • If you get your passport back, you can move to France.

How to Make First Conditional Questions

First conditional questions are used to express possible or likely situations that may occur in the future.

To form a first conditional question, you can use the following structure:

Structure Example
If If
Simple PresentYou make enough money
Simple FutureWill you buy a car

First Conditional Questions: Examples

Here are some other examples of first conditional questions:

  • If you finish your work early, will you go for a walk?
  • If she gets the job, will she move to a new city?
  • If we leave now, will we make it to the movie on time?

  • If they don’t study for the exam, will they fail it?
  • If he eats too much, will he feel sick?
  • If you win the lottery, what would you do with the money?
  • If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

  • If you get the job, what is the first thing you will do?
  • If you have a free day, how will you spend it?
  • If it rains tomorrow, what will you do for your outdoor plans?

First Conditional Wh-Questions: Examples

Here are 12 open first conditional questions

  1. If you have a day off, what will you do?
  2. If it rains tomorrow, what will you do to stay dry?
  3. If your favorite band announces a concert nearby, what will be your reaction?
  4. If you find yourself lost, what steps will you take to find your way?
  5. If the weather is sunny this weekend, what outdoor activity will you do?
  6. If your favorite book is adapted into a movie, what aspects will you be curious about?

First Conditional Video Explanation

In case you still have questions about how to make first conditional videos, watch this short video


Manuel Campos

Manuel Campos

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English