First Conditional Alternate Forms

  1. unlessI will have to leave the company unless the situation improves
    (unless works like a negative 'If')
  2. 'Going to' is also used to mean 'intend to' after 'if'. 'Going to' is often used to replace 'will' in the first conditional. This is often done to emphasize a certain result.
  3. The present perfect is used to focus on the completion of an action.
  4. SHOULDIn the first form of conditional statement 'Should' tells us that something is possible.
  5. Happen to / Should happen to These two forms emphasize the chance nature of the conditional. In this way, the condition, while still true, is a less likely to occur.
  6. With the verb 'to be' plus an adjective, the subject and verb of the 'if' clause can be omitted. The result clause follows in the imperative form.
  7. 'provided (that)' and 'as long as' are used to instead of 'if' to show specific conditions that must be met in order for something to happen.
  8. If she gets good grades,she will go to university.
    If the condition becomes true, then she definitely will go to university
  9. If he gets good grades,he may go to university.
    He is not sure about going to university.
  10. If she gets good grades,she should go to university.
    The speaker is expressing his or her opinion, giving advice.
  11. If he gets good grades,he can go to university.
    This means that it is possible.
  12. If she gets good grades,she could go to university.
    This means that it is possible, but not that likely.
  13. If he gets good grades, he might go to university.
    This means that it is possible, but not that likely.

Examples

If you apply to that school with your excellent marks, you're going to be accepted!
If you're going to skip school, you certainly won't pass your exams.
We'll meet for lunch if you've finished your work.
If he should arrive, we'll invite him along to dinner.
If they happen to come to town, we'll have dinner.
If he should happen to get stuck in that town, he'll be able to find a hotel room for the night.
If interested, apply for the position.
provided he finishes his studies, he'll find an excellent job. As long as she pays off the loan, the house will be hers at the end of next year.

Talking about the future

We are talking about the future, but we use a present tense for the condition and will for the result. In this case, the person is sure about going to university. We can use other modal verbs in the result part of the sentence. We can also use different present forms in the condition part of the sentence.