Zero and first conditional: ESL lesson plans and exercises

Q: What is the zero conditional?

A pattern for facts that are true every time. Both halves use the present simple: If you mix red and white, you get pink ; Plants die if they don't get water . For facts like these, when can replace if : When the sun goes down, it gets cold . Advice fits the same frame, with an instruction in the result: If you feel dizzy, sit down .

Q: When do we use the first conditional?

For a real future possibility and its result. If the bus is late, I'll take a taxi : the bus may or may not be late, and the speaker has a plan ready. The first conditional also makes promises ( If you finish early, I'll help you ), warnings ( If you touch that, you'll burn yourself ) and firm offers in a negotiation.

Q: How do you form the first conditional?

If + present simple, will + base verb. If she calls, I'll tell her . Either half can come first: with if first, use a comma; with the result first, leave it out: I'll tell her if she calls . The if -part never takes will , so If she will call is wrong, and will takes a verb without to : you'll feel , not you will to feel .

Q: What's the difference between the zero and first conditional?

Always true versus one situation ahead. If you don't water plants, they die is a general fact, so both halves are present. If you don't water my plant while I'm away, it'll die is about one plant and one trip, so the result takes will . The question for learners: does it happen every time, or once in the future?

Q: Can you use when instead of if?

In the zero conditional, yes: they mean the same. When you eat ice cream fast, you get brain freeze says what If you eat… says. For one future situation, they differ: When I see Tom, I'll tell him means you're sure to see him, while If I see Tom, I'll tell him means you might.

Q: How do you use unless?

Unless means if… not, so its verb stays positive. We'll miss the train unless we leave now means …if we don't leave now . The usual mistake is a second negative: unless we don't leave . Like if , unless takes the present simple even when the sentence is about the future: unless it rains , not unless it will rain .

Q: Are there interactive zero and first conditional exercises?

Yes, and some of them play on this page. Each lesson has more: gap-fills, drag-and-drop, tables to complete and quizzes on if + present, will in the result and unless . Students answer in their own edio.ai accounts and see each answer checked right away. A free trial opens every lesson in the library.

Q: How do I teach the first conditional to A2 students?

Teach the zero conditional first, then add will. In English A2.2 on edio.ai, learners state facts about brain freeze with present + present, and the next lesson moves to park prescriptions: If you walk in the park, you'll feel better . At B1, English for IT puts the zero conditional into bug reports and the first into code review, and English for IT B2 adds as long as and provided .

Q: What are good first conditional activities?

Superstitions, promises and warnings. Students share superstitions from home ( If you break a mirror, you'll have bad luck ), bargain with the teacher ( If we finish early, will you play a song? ) or turn park rules into warnings ( If you feed the bears, they'll come back ). Each lesson's speaking chapter also has a chat and a game such as Open the box.

Q: Can students work through these lessons alone, as homework?

Yes, and they work live one-to-one too. At home, the student opens the lesson in their own account: the drills on if , will and unless check each answer, while written tasks such as a bug report come back to you to review. In a live class, the student follows in sync with you, and the speaking game needs just the two of you.

Levels A2 to C1 10 lesson plans · 5 drill lessons Exercises that check themselves

The zero conditional states what happens every time a condition is met (If you mix red and white, you get pink), while the first conditional links one real situation in the future to its result: If it rains tomorrow, we'll stay home. This page collects 10 ready-made lessons on both from the edio.ai library, levels A2 to B2, in American English, with topics that run from brain freeze to bug reports and code review. Play exercises from the lessons, compare the two patterns in their grammar schemes, and choose a lesson for your group by level. Every lesson is interactive, with drills that mark each answer as students go.

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Zero and first conditional lesson plans and drills

10 lesson plans and 5 drill lessons, A2 to C1. Lesson plans are whole lessons with reading, listening and speaking; drill lessons are 45 to 46 self-checking exercises with no new words.

Try the first conditional exercises

One exercise from each of 6 lessons. These are the same exercises your students do in edio.

Zero and first conditional explained

We use the zero conditional for facts, rules and anything that happens every time: If you press this switch, the fan starts. Both halves take the present simple. The first conditional is for one real future situation and its likely result: if + present simple, then will or won't + verb, as in If you call me, I'll come. In both, the if-part never takes will.

The zero conditional: present + present

When the result follows every time, both halves stay in the present simple: If ice cream gets warm, it drips. A comma follows the if-part when it comes first, and there's none when the result leads: Ice cream melts if it's hot.

The zero conditional

If + present simple + a comma ( , )present simple

If you eat ice cream fast, you get brain freeze.

If ice cream gets warm, it drips.

Where's the comma?

if first: use a comma

If it's hot, ice cream melts.
If you eat fast, you get brain freeze.

if second: no comma

Ice cream melts if it's hot.
You get brain freeze if you eat fast.

From the lesson Brain freeze! (English A2.2)

The first conditional: if + present, will + verb

The if-part names a real possibility in the present simple, and the result moves to will or won't: If she walks every day, she'll feel better. Questions put will before the subject: What will you do if it rains?

Every person

Who	If + present simple	will / won't + verb
I	If I walk in the park,	I'll feel better.
you	If you walk in the park,	you'll feel better.
he	If he walks in the park,	he'll feel better.
she	If she walks in the park,	she'll feel better.
it	If it's sunny tomorrow,	it'll be a great day.
we	If we walk in the park,	we'll feel better.
they	If they walk in the park,	they'll feel better.

Negatives and questions

What	Example
won't = will not	If it rains, we won't go to the park.
don't / doesn't in the if part	If you don't sleep, you'll be tired tomorrow.
Will…? and short answers	Will you feel better if you walk? – Yes, I will. / No, I won't.
What will…?	What will you do if it rains?

From the lesson Doctor's orders: go to the park! (English A2.2)

Zero or first: every time, or one future situation?

If you heat ice, it melts is true every time, so both verbs are present. If it's sunny tomorrow, we'll go to the park is one plan, and its future result needs will, not we go.

Always true, or one future situation?

Always true, every time (the zero conditional): present + present: If you heat ice, it melts. One real situation in the future (the first conditional): if + present, will + verb: If it's sunny tomorrow, we'll go to the park. A future result needs will: If you walk tomorrow, you'll feel better (not: you feel better).

From the lesson Doctor's orders: go to the park! (English A2.2)

If or when in a bug report

Bug reports describe what happens each time someone repeats the steps, so they use the zero conditional, with when as good as if: When the file is over 10 MB, the upload fails.

If / When + present simplepresent simple

If you rotate the phone, the amount disappears.

When the file is over 10 MB, the upload fails.

From the lesson Steps to reproduce (English for IT B1)

Might, can and unless in a code review

The result isn't always will: might marks a risk and can a possibility, as in If Rui approves it, Iryna can merge it. Unless means if… not: We won't merge it unless the tests pass.

Use	Form	Example
A consequence	If + present, will + verb	If we cache this, the page will load faster.
A risk	If + present, won't / might + verb	If a refund changes, the merchant might see an old status.
A promise	If you + present, I'll + verb	If you add a test, I'll approve it.
A possibility	If + present, can + verb	If Rui approves it, Iryna can merge it.
A negative condition	If + don't / doesn't + verb	If we don't cache it, the screen will stay slow.
unless = if not	unless + present (positive)	We won't merge it unless the tests pass.
A question	What will happen if…?	What will happen if the merchant is offline?

From the lesson Your first pull request (English for IT B1)

As long as, provided and on condition that

At B2, these linkers mean only if, from everyday to formal: We can ship on Friday as long as nobody adds new fields. Like if, each one takes the present simple for the future.

Linker	Meaning	Example
as long as + present	only if this happens	We can ship on Friday as long as nobody adds new fields.
provided (that) / providing (that) + present	only if; a little more formal	I'll bring three cases provided Kenji can join.
on condition that + present	only if; formal and strict	I'll facilitate on condition that nobody argues when I park a topic.
unless + positive verb	if … not	Unless we freeze the design today, we'll miss the date.
plan + ; otherwise + result	if not (it points back to the plan)	Let's freeze it; otherwise we'll argue about colors again.
suppose / supposing + present	imagine this happens: what then?	Suppose we still don't agree. Who makes the call?

From the lesson Why meetings argue about the bike shed (English for IT B2)

Questions about the zero and first conditionals

What is the zero conditional?

A pattern for facts that are true every time. Both halves use the present simple: If you mix red and white, you get pink; Plants die if they don't get water. For facts like these, when can replace if: When the sun goes down, it gets cold. Advice fits the same frame, with an instruction in the result: If you feel dizzy, sit down.

When do we use the first conditional?

For a real future possibility and its result. If the bus is late, I'll take a taxi: the bus may or may not be late, and the speaker has a plan ready. The first conditional also makes promises (If you finish early, I'll help you), warnings (If you touch that, you'll burn yourself) and firm offers in a negotiation.

How do you form the first conditional?

If + present simple, will + base verb. If she calls, I'll tell her. Either half can come first: with if first, use a comma; with the result first, leave it out: I'll tell her if she calls. The if-part never takes will, so If she will call is wrong, and will takes a verb without to: you'll feel, not you will to feel.

What's the difference between the zero and first conditional?

Always true versus one situation ahead. If you don't water plants, they die is a general fact, so both halves are present. If you don't water my plant while I'm away, it'll die is about one plant and one trip, so the result takes will. The question for learners: does it happen every time, or once in the future?

Can you use when instead of if?

In the zero conditional, yes: they mean the same. When you eat ice cream fast, you get brain freeze says what If you eat… says. For one future situation, they differ: When I see Tom, I'll tell him means you're sure to see him, while If I see Tom, I'll tell him means you might.

How do you use unless?

Unless means if… not, so its verb stays positive. We'll miss the train unless we leave now means …if we don't leave now. The usual mistake is a second negative: unless we don't leave. Like if, unless takes the present simple even when the sentence is about the future: unless it rains, not unless it will rain.

Are there interactive zero and first conditional exercises?

Yes, and some of them play on this page. Each lesson has more: gap-fills, drag-and-drop, tables to complete and quizzes on if + present, will in the result and unless. Students answer in their own edio.ai accounts and see each answer checked right away. A free trial opens every lesson in the library.

How do I teach the first conditional to A2 students?

Teach the zero conditional first, then add will. In English A2.2 on edio.ai, learners state facts about brain freeze with present + present, and the next lesson moves to park prescriptions: If you walk in the park, you'll feel better. At B1, English for IT puts the zero conditional into bug reports and the first into code review, and English for IT B2 adds as long as and provided.

What are good first conditional activities?

Superstitions, promises and warnings. Students share superstitions from home (If you break a mirror, you'll have bad luck), bargain with the teacher (If we finish early, will you play a song?) or turn park rules into warnings (If you feed the bears, they'll come back). Each lesson's speaking chapter also has a chat and a game such as Open the box.

Can students work through these lessons alone, as homework?

Yes, and they work live one-to-one too. At home, the student opens the lesson in their own account: the drills on if, will and unless check each answer, while written tasks such as a bug report come back to you to review. In a live class, the student follows in sync with you, and the speaking game needs just the two of you.

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Zero and first conditional: ESL lesson plans and exercises

Zero and first conditional lesson plans and drills

Brain freeze!

Doctor's orders: go to the park!

Zero conditional: what happens if…?

First conditional: what will you do if it rains?

Black Friday: deal or trap?

What are the Marfa Lights?

Pitch it to the Sharks!

Steps to reproduce

Your first pull request

Conditionals compared: real or imagined?

Negotiating a Deal

A college that says yes

Why meetings argue about the bike shed

Unless, in case and as long as: on one condition

Alternatives to if: supposing they say no?