A Plan for the Weekend
Grammar Focus: First Conditional
The first conditional is used to talk about real possibilities in the future. It uses the structure:
- If + present simple, will + base verb
Examples from the story:
- “If it’s sunny, we will have a great time.”
- “If I take good pictures, I will show them to everyone at work.”
- “If we start early, we’ll finish the hike before dark.”
- “If we aren’t careful, we could get lost.”
Tom and his friends have been talking about going on a hiking trip for weeks. This weekend, they finally decided to go. They are going to hike in the mountains near their town. The weather forecast says it will be sunny on Saturday, so they are looking forward to it.
“If it’s sunny, we will have a great time,” Tom said excitedly. “But if it rains, we’ll have to stay indoors and play board games.”
The night before the hike, Tom made sure to pack everything. He checked his backpack twice to make sure he had enough water, food, and a jacket. He was also bringing a camera because he knew the view from the top would be beautiful. “If I take good pictures, I will show them to everyone at work,” he thought.
The next morning, Tom woke up early. He looked out the window and smiled. “It’s sunny! This is going to be perfect,” he said. His friends arrived at his house, and they all left for the mountains.
“If we start early, we’ll finish the hike before dark,” Tom told his friends. They were excited, but they also knew they had to be careful. “If we aren’t careful, we could get lost,” one of his friends warned.
They had a wonderful hike. If they had taken the wrong path, they might have gotten lost, but they made it to the top safely. The view was amazing, just like Tom had hoped.
When they returned home, they were tired but happy. Tom said, “If I go on another hike, I will bring even more snacks next time!”
Comprehension Questions:
- What are Tom and his friends planning to do this weekend?
- What does the weather forecast say about Saturday?
- What will Tom do if it rains?
- What did Tom pack for the hiking trip?
- Why is Tom bringing a camera on the hike?
- What did Tom say when he looked out the window in the morning?
- What did Tom tell his friends about starting the hike early?
- What was one of Tom’s friends worried about during the hike?
- How did Tom feel when they reached the top of the mountain?
- What will Tom do next time he goes on a hike?
- Tom and his friends are planning to go on a hiking trip in the mountains.
- The weather forecast says it will be sunny on Saturday.
- If it rains, Tom and his friends will stay indoors and play board games.
- Tom packed water, food, a jacket, and a camera.
- Tom is bringing a camera because he knows the view from the top will be beautiful.
- Tom smiled and said, “It’s sunny! This is going to be perfect.”
- Tom said, “If we start early, we’ll finish the hike before dark.”
- One of Tom’s friends was worried about getting lost.
- Tom felt happy and excited when they reached the top because the view was amazing.
- Next time, Tom will bring even more snacks.
Grammar Practice Activities (First Conditional):
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in parentheses:
- a. If it __________ (rain), we __________ (stay) at home.
- b. If I __________ (see) a good movie, I __________ (tell) my friends.
- c. If we __________ (leave) now, we __________ (arrive) on time.
- d. If they __________ (not hurry), they __________ (miss) the bus.
- e. If I __________ (finish) my homework early, I __________ (go) to the park.
Rewrite the sentences using the first conditional:
- a. I am tired, so I will stay home. (If)
- b. We will be late if we don’t leave soon. (Unless)
- c. I am hungry, so I will eat dinner. (When)
- d. I will visit the museum if I have time. (If)
Create your own first conditional sentences:
Complete this exercise by creating 5 sentences using the first conditional about their plans for the weekend. For example:
- If the weather is nice, I will go hiking.
- If I finish my homework early, I will watch a movie.