Expressing the future / zero, first conditional

WILL / WON'T

Subject + will /won't + infinitive

Affirmative

I will work

You will work

He will work

She will work

It will work

We will work

You will work

They will work

Negative

I will not work

You will not work

He will not work

She will not work

It will not work

You will not work

We will not work

They will not work

Interrogative

Will I work?

Will you work?

Will he work?

Will she work?

Will it work?

Will we work?

Will you work?

Will they work?

Examples:

You will do it later.
Will you do it later?
You will not (won't) do it later.

A lot of students have been confused by older textbooks which refer to 'will' as 'the future tense'.

When we talk about the future we cannot always use 'will' and when we use 'will' we are not always talking about the future.

In these examples 'will' is clearly referring to the future.

- I'll probably visit Sue Kay when I go to Oxford.
- Next year she'll be 42. Or so she says.

Will/ won't is generally used in other situations:

1. Prediction

We often use will to make a prediction about the future. We are saying what we think will happen. Here are some examples:

It will rain tomorrow
I think I will get married
People won't go to Jupiter before the 22nd century.
Who do you think will get the job?

2. To make an immediate decision

- - I'll have a ham sandwich please.
  - A: I'm really hungry.
    - B: I'll make some sandwiches.
  - A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.
  - B: I'll get you some coffee.
  - A: The phone is ringing.
  - B: I'll get it.

3. To make an offer

- - I'll carry that for you.

4. To make a promise

- - I'll pay you back tomorrow.
  - I will always love you
  - I'll never forgive you

THE FIRST CONDITIONAL: real possibility

1. The structure :

If+ subject + present simple, subject + will/won't + infinitive

A first conditional sentence consists of two clauses, an "if" clause and a main clause:

if clause

If you study hard,

main clause

you will pass the test.

If the "if" clause comes first, a comma is usually used. If the "if" clause comes second, there is no need for a comma:

main clause

You will pass the test

if clause

if you study hard.

We use different verb forms in each part of a first conditional:

main clause

You will pass the test

if clause

if you study hard.

2. Using the first conditional

The first conditional is used to talk about things which are possible in the present or the future — things which may happen:

Zero Conditional.

If + Subject + Present Simple, Subject + Simple Present

If I go to a friend's house for dinner, I usually take a bottle of wine or some flowers

Subject + Present Simple / if + Subject + Present Simple

I usually take a bottle of wine or some flowers if I go to a friend's house for dinner

USE

The zero conditional is used to talk about what you normally do in real-life situations also when we talk about things that are generally or always true.

Examples: