First Conditional - Meaning, Types, How to Use It, Examples

International English Language Testing System ( IELTS )

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Avleen Kaur
Updated on Nov 15, 2025 13:22 IST

By Avleen Kaur, Sr. Executive Training

“If Thanos collects all the Infinity Stones, he will wipe out half the universe.” - this is a perfect example of a First Conditional sentences in English. In English grammar, we use the First Conditional sentences to first talk about a possible condition and its possible outcomes in the future.Today we're going to talk about the First Conditional sentences in English which are useful from the point of scoring good on the IELTS test. This topic comes under the B1 Grammar proficiency for IELTS preparation.

What is First Conditional?

Conditional sentences are statements that express hypothetical situations and their possible results. Check out table to have an overview:

Conditional Sentences Overview
Structure of the First Conditional  If + Present Simple, will + Base Verb.
 

There are two clauses in First Conditional sentence:

  • If-clause (condition): If it rains (present simple)
  • Main clause (result): we will stay inside (future with "will")
Types of Conditional Sentences
  • Zero
  • First 
  • Second

 

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Use of First Conditional Sentences

To express real and possible situations in daily life, we use First Conditional Sentences. Below, we have mentioned some situations with examples.

Conditions Examples
To Talk About Possible Future Conditions If you study well, you will score high.
To Warn Someone If you miss any topic from IELTS syllabus, your marks will be low.
To Give Advice or Suggestions If you don’t reach at IELTS exam centre on time, you won’t get entry.

Common Mistakes While Using the First Conditional Sentences

We have listed a few common mistakes people make while using First Conditional sentences. You can check incorrect and correct sentences to understand difference.

  Incorrect Sentence Correct Sentence
Using "will" in the If-Clause If you will study hard, you will pass the exam. If you study hard, you will pass the exam.
Using “Would” at the Place of “Will” If you study hard, you would pass the exam. If you study hard, you will pass the exam.
Not Adding A Comma When Starting With"If" If it rains we will stay inside. If it rains, we will stay inside.
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