First and Second Conditional English

Introductory Discussion Questions

To begin exploring conditional logic, consider the following prompts which require thinking about both certain and hypothetical futures:

  • When you get a job, what job will it be?

  • If you go shopping, what will you shop for?

  • If you had a superpower, what superpower would you have?

  • When you finish class today, what will you do?

  • If you got a pet, what would you name it?

The First Conditional

Definition and Usage

  • The first conditional is used to discuss things that can easily happen in the future.

  • It focuses on situations that are considered possible or likely to occur.

  • Examples of such likely scenarios include:

    • It raining today.

    • Getting a job next year.

    • A train being delayed.

Grammatical Structure

The construction of a first conditional sentence follows this specific formula:

If/When+Present Simple cause,will+infinitive\text{If/When} + \text{Present Simple cause}, \text{will} + \text{infinitive}

Examples of First Conditional Sentences

  • "If it rains today, she will use her umbrella."

  • "When I get a job, I will work hard."

  • "They will catch the bus if their train is delayed."

Punctuation and Clause Order

  • Comma Usage: Note the placement of the comma between the two clauses. If the "If/When" clause comes first, a comma is required before the second clause.

  • Reversed Clauses: If the sentence starts with the second clause (the result), place "if/when" between the two clauses and do not use a comma. For example: "They will catch the bus if their train is delayed."

First Conditional Practice: Clause Matching

  • Condition: "If I wake up late,"

    • Result: "I will be late for class."

  • Condition: "When it's hot,"

    • Result: "We will go swimming."

  • Condition: "If you go shopping,"

    • Result: "You will spend money."

  • Condition: "When her brother leaves,"

    • Result: "She will be sad."

  • Condition: "If you give me your number,"

    • Result: "I will send you a message."

Error Correction in First Conditional Sentences

  • Incorrect: "If I got time tomorrow, I will help you."

    • Correct: "If I get time tomorrow, I will help you."

  • Incorrect: "If you feel sick, I take you to the doctor."

    • Correct: "If you feel sick, I will take you to the doctor."

  • Incorrect: "I would make jam when I have enough strawberries."

    • Correct: "I will make jam when I have enough strawberries."

  • Incorrect: "When it was windy, I won’t go outside."

    • Correct: "When it is windy, I won’t go outside."

The Second Conditional

Definition and Usage

  • The second conditional is used to talk about things that are not possible or mostly will not happen.

  • It deals with hypothetical, imaginary, or highly unlikely scenarios.

  • Examples of unlikely scenarios include:

    • Owning a private jet.

    • Winning a million dollars.

    • Being a queen.

Grammatical Structure

The construction of a second conditional sentence follows this specific formula:

If+Past Simple clause,would+infinitive\text{If} + \text{Past Simple clause}, \text{would} + \text{infinitive}

Examples of Second Conditional Sentences

  • "If I owned a private jet, I would fly all over the world."

  • "If I won a million dollars, I would buy a big house."

  • "I would make every Friday a holiday if I were queen."

Clause Order Rules

  • If the sentence starts with the result clause, place "if" between the two clauses and continue with the past simple clause. No comma is needed in this structure.

Second Conditional Practice: Clause Matching

  • Condition: "If I met the president,"

    • Result: "I would ask her about her ideas."

  • Condition: "If he was younger,"

    • Result: "He would choose a different job."

  • Condition: "If they had more time,"

    • Result: "They would stay with us longer."

  • Condition: "If you knew the answer,"

    • Result: "You would tell me."

  • Condition: "If she was a cat,"

    • Result: "She wouldn’t speak English."

Error Correction in Second Conditional Sentences

  • Incorrect: "If I see a ghost, I would be terrified."

    • Correct: "If I saw a ghost, I would be terrified."

  • Incorrect: "If she had a superpower, she will be able to fly."

    • Correct: "If she had a superpower, she would be able to fly."

  • Incorrect: "I would make it snow everyday if I control the weather."

    • Correct: "I would make it snow everyday if I controlled the weather."

  • Incorrect: "If school is cancelled, I wouldn’t do my homework."

    • Correct: "If school was cancelled, I wouldn’t do my homework."

  • Contraction Note: Wouldn’t=Would not\text{Wouldn't} = \text{Would not}

Comparing Conditionals: Identification Exercise

Identify whether the following sentences utilize the 1st or 2nd conditional:

  • 1st Conditional: "If we go for a picnic, I’ll pack some snacks."

  • 2nd Conditional: "I would go to the 1920s if I travelled to the past."

  • 2nd Conditional: "If I were you, I wouldn’t order that from the restaurant."

  • 1st Conditional: "When she asks a rude question, I won’t answer her."

  • 1st Conditional: "If you practice harder, you will get better."

  • 2nd Conditional: "If I went to space, I would take pictures of my family."

Sentence Completion Checklists

When completing conditional sentences, verify your grammar against these rules:

For First Conditional Completion:

  • Example: "We will miss the bus if… (it does not arrive soon)."

  • Example: "When it gets dark… (I will turn on the lights)."

  • Self-Check: Did you use the Present Simple for the condition and "will" for the result?

For Second Conditional Completion:

  • Example: "If I chose to be one age forever… (I would choose 21)."

  • Example: "I would be an elephant… (if I were an animal)."

  • Self-Check: Did you use the Past Tense for the condition and "would" for the result?

Clause Reversal Challenge

Swapping the order of clauses changes the punctuation but maintains the meaning of the conditional:

  • Original: "I wouldn’t hug it if a bear came into my house."

    • Swapped: "If a bear came into my house, I wouldn’t hug it."

  • Original: "When our room is clean, mum won’t be angry anymore."

    • Swapped: "Mum won’t be angry anymore when our room is clean."

  • Original: "If I built an AI robot, I wouldn’t stay in school."

    • Swapped: "I wouldn’t stay in school if I built an AI robot."

  • Original: "If it's a good book, I will lend it to you."

    • Swapped: "I will lend it to you if it’s a good book."

Comprehensive Discussion Questions

Integrate both conditional forms to answer the following:

  1. If you write a letter to your friend, what will you tell them?

  2. If you travelled to the future, what would you do?

  3. What will you eat when you go to a restaurant?

  4. If you were a pilot, where would you go?

  5. What would you do if you were a celebrity?

  6. If you fail an exam, what will your parents do?

  7. What animal will you choose if you get a pet?