Structure: ‘The first conditional’

What is the first conditional?

The first conditional describes a real or likely situation in the future. It has two parts: an if-clause (the condition) and a result clause (what will happen). The key rule: after if, use the present simple, not a future form. The result clause uses will + a base verb.

Structure:   If + present simple,   will + base verb

You can see this structure at work in the FAA’s announcement about the $12.5 billion ATC rebuild: “If it is delivered on time, it will be the biggest upgrade to US airspace management since GPS navigation was introduced in the 1990s.”

Try these

Rewrite each pair of sentences as a single first conditional sentence. All items use vocabulary from the FAA’s $12.5 billion air traffic control rebuild.

1. The new system might be delivered on time. In that case, it will be the biggest upgrade to US airspace management since the 1990s.
2. The FAA may install all 27,000 new radios by 2028. In that case, controllers will have modern digital equipment at every site.
3. The public might track progress on the Modern Skies website. In that case, they will be able to see when each project is expected to finish.
4. Old radar and communication equipment might not be replaced. In that case, delays and near-misses will continue.
5. The government may not maintain transparency. In that case, modernisation efforts will fail again, as they did in the past.

Before you check the answers, look again at your sentences:

• Does each sentence describe a real or likely future situation?
• Did you use the present simple after if (for example is delivered, installs) and never will in the if-clause?
• Did you use will + a base verb in the result clause (for example will be, will continue)?
• Does each sentence read clearly, start with a capital letter and end with a full stop?

Now improve your sentences. Look at any answer that was different from yours and rewrite it correctly: a first draft is a first attempt, not the finished version.

CEFR Level B1 / ICAO Level 4

When you are ready to go further, Structure: ‘Conditionals 2’ builds on this foundation. It shows how the second conditional changes the meaning when the outcome is less certain or hypothetical.