The First Conditional
The first conditional is used to express things that are possible and likely to happen in the future. It consists of two components: an "if" clause in the present simple tense, and a future simple main clause. As a reminder, the future simple contains the auxiliary verb "will" followed by an infinitive.
Examples:
If it hails, I will seek shelter.
They will call if they get lost.
He will eat a snack, if he gets hungry.
If the weather is good, we will go to the beach.
There are contractions used with the verb "will," so here's a refresher to help you recognize those forms:
Personal pronoun + ' + ll
- I'll, you'll, he'll, she'll, it'll, we'll, they'll
Personal pronoun + will + not (negative form) + infinitive
- I won't go, you won't go, she won't go, we won't go, they won't go
The first conditional differs from the zero conditional in that it is about a specific situation, whereas the zero conditional is about more general things (facts, truths, etc.).
Examples:
If you exercise daily, you feel better. (general statement)
If you exercise today, you will feel better. (specific time ["today"])
As can be seen, it is generally accepted that daily exercise can improve your health, but exercising specifically today is likely to happen and make that person feel better.
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