Future Forms & First Conditionals
Section: Use of English | Syllabus: Cambridge Primary English as a Second Language (0057)
Talking About the Future
- Several forms can express future meaning:
- will + base verb — predictions, promises or decisions made at the moment of speaking: "I think it will rain tomorrow." "I will help you with that."
- going to + base verb — plans already decided, and predictions based on present evidence: "We are going to visit my aunt next week." "Look at those clouds — it's going to rain."
- Present continuous — fixed arrangements, usually with a time expression: "We are meeting at six o'clock."
- Present simple — fixed timetables and schedules: "The train leaves at nine o'clock." "The term starts on Monday."
- Choose the right form based on how the future event is decided: a spontaneous decision, a plan, a timetable, or a prediction.
Choose the future form based on how the event is decided
Worked Example: Choosing the Right Future FormQuestion: Choose the correct future form to complete: "Look at those dark clouds! It ___ (rain) soon."
Step 1 — Identify the type of future: this is a prediction based on present evidence (the dark clouds now). Step 2 — Predictions based on present evidence use "going to." Step 3 — Form: is + going to + base verb. Answer"It is going to rain soon."
First Conditionals: If Clauses
- The first conditional talks about a real possibility in the future and its likely result.
- Form: If + present simple, ... will + base verb: "If it rains, we will stay inside." "If she studies hard, she will pass the test."
- The if-clause can come first or second in the sentence:
- If-clause first: add a comma before the main clause — "If it rains, we will stay inside."
- Main clause first: no comma needed — "We will stay inside if it rains."
- Never use "will" inside the if-clause itself — only the present simple: not "If it will rain..." but "If it rains..."
Common Mistakes
MistakeUsing "will" in the if-clause, e.g. "If it will rain, we will stay inside."
FixUse the present simple in the if-clause: "If it rains, we will stay inside."
MistakeForgetting the comma when the if-clause comes first, e.g. "If it rains we will stay inside."
FixAdd a comma after the if-clause when it comes at the start of the sentence.
MistakeUsing "going to" for a fixed timetable, e.g. "The train is going to leave at nine o'clock" for a scheduled service.
FixUse the present simple for fixed timetables and schedules: "The train leaves at nine o'clock."
Worked Example: Building a First Conditional SentenceQuestion: Combine these two ideas into a first conditional sentence: "She studies hard." + "She will pass the test."
Step 1 — Identify the condition (a real possibility): "she studies hard" — use the present simple in the if-clause. Step 2 — Identify the likely result: "she will pass the test" — use will + base verb in the main clause. Step 3 — Join with "if"; add a comma since the if-clause comes first. Answer"If she studies hard, she will pass the test."
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