Your goal
Build a realistic learning routine and describe possible situations with the first conditional.
Read the story
Theo manages bookings for a small sports centre. His shifts change each week, and he also shares the cooking at home with his cousin. In September, he creates an ambitious English timetable: forty minutes every evening, plus a long lesson on Sunday. He buys a large notebook and draws seven neat boxes for each week. The first three boxes fill quickly. Then a late shift, a family visit, and an unexpected repair leave several blank spaces. Theo begins avoiding the notebook because the empty boxes feel like unfinished duties.
During a conversation class, his partner Salma asks what he actually wants to do in English. Theo explains that visitors sometimes ask about bookings, equipment, and changing rooms. He also wants to enjoy short stories without translating every sentence. Salma suggests choosing activities that match those purposes. Together, they list three options: recall five useful words, practise a short booking dialogue, or read two pages for pleasure. Each option has a clear ending, and none requires a perfectly quiet evening or a large amount of preparation.
Theo then looks at his real schedule. On early shifts, he usually has ten minutes after lunch. On late shifts, he can often sit at the kitchen table before leaving home. He writes a plan with choices instead of fixed daily boxes. If he has ten minutes, he will practise a dialogue. If he has only five, he will recall his word cards. If the day becomes too crowded, he will choose another suitable moment during the week. He leaves Sunday afternoon free for a longer activity when possible.
The following week is not smooth. A delivery arrives during one lunch break, so Theo misses his planned practice. That evening, he chooses five word cards while dinner is in the oven. Before checking each answer, he says a sentence about the sports centre. On Thursday, he reads a story on the bus and leaves two unfamiliar expressions for later. His activities are shorter than his original sessions, but he can explain what he practised. The notebook now records completed activities rather than marking every quiet evening as a missed opportunity.
At the end of the month, Theo reviews the plan with Salma. He has not studied every day, and he still needs help with some questions at work. However, his routine fits more comfortably around his changing shifts. They add one weekly conversation in which Salma plays a visitor making a booking. Theo writes a final reminder inside the cover: if an activity stops fitting, he will adjust it. The plan is a useful tool for his week, and he can change the tool when necessary.
A conversation to practise
Salma: What will you do if you have only five minutes?
Theo: I will recall a few words before I check them.
Salma: What if your shift changes again?
Theo: I will adjust the time and keep the activity small.
Understand the story
- Why does Theo begin avoiding his first notebook?
- What are the three short activities in his new plan?
- What new activity do Theo and Salma add at the end of the month?
Practise the language
- Complete with the correct form of have: If Theo ___ ten minutes, he will practise a dialogue.
- Complete with will and the correct form of adjust: If my shift changes, I ___ my plan.
- Correct the if clause: If Salma will be free, we will practise.
Vocabulary & explanations
English
Your goal
Build a realistic learning routine and describe possible situations with the first conditional.
Useful vocabulary
- shift
- A scheduled period of work.My early shift ends at two.
- ambitious
- Requiring a lot of effort or aiming high.Finishing ten chapters tonight is an ambitious plan.
- duty
- Something you are expected to do.Checking the door is my final duty before closing.
- purpose
- The reason for doing something.The purpose of this dialogue is to practise making a booking.
- option
- Something you can choose.Reading one page is another option.
- crowded
- Too full of people, things, or activities.Friday is crowded with meetings and deliveries.
- adjust
- To change something slightly so it fits better.We can adjust the timetable next week.
- sustainable
- Possible to continue over time.For me, two short sessions are a sustainable routine.
The first conditional
For a possible future situation and its expected result, use if + present simple, then will + base verb: If Theo has time, he will read. Do not put will in the if clause. When the if clause comes first, use a comma. The result can also come first: He will read if he has time.
- If I have five minutes, I will review my cards.
- If his shift changes, Theo will adjust the plan.
- We will practise a dialogue if Salma is free.
Make it yours
Design a learning plan for a changing week in 80–100 words. Include three if sentences for different amounts of available time. Add one reason with because and one retrieval activity from an earlier lesson.
Check and remember
Say the two verb forms used in the first conditional. Recall one habit, one comparative, and one reading strategy from earlier lessons, then use them to explain your plan.
Français
Votre objectif
Construire une routine d’apprentissage réaliste et décrire des situations possibles avec le premier conditionnel.
Vocabulaire utile
- shift
- Période de travail prévue dans un planning.My early shift ends at two.
- ambitious
- Qui vise haut ou demande beaucoup d’efforts.Finishing ten chapters tonight is an ambitious plan.
- duty
- Tâche ou obligation attendue.Checking the door is my final duty before closing.
- purpose
- But ou raison d’une action.The purpose of this dialogue is to practise making a booking.
- option
- Possibilité que l’on peut choisir.Reading one page is another option.
- crowded
- Trop rempli de personnes, de choses ou d’activités.Friday is crowded with meetings and deliveries.
- adjust
- Adapter légèrement pour mieux convenir.We can adjust the timetable next week.
- sustainable
- Que l’on peut maintenir dans la durée.For me, two short sessions are a sustainable routine.
Le premier conditionnel
Pour une situation future possible et son résultat attendu, utilisez if + présent simple, puis will + base verbale : If Theo has time, he will read. Ne mettez pas will après if. Une proposition avec if placée au début est suivie d’une virgule. Le résultat peut venir en premier : He will read if he has time.
- If I have five minutes, I will review my cards.
- If his shift changes, Theo will adjust the plan.
- We will practise a dialogue if Salma is free.
À vous de jouer
Créez un plan d’apprentissage de 80 à 100 mots pour une semaine variable. Incluez trois phrases avec if selon le temps disponible, une raison avec because et une activité de rappel d’une leçon précédente.
Vérifier et retenir
Nommez les deux formes verbales du premier conditionnel. Retrouvez une habitude, un comparatif et une stratégie de lecture des leçons précédentes, puis utilisez-les pour expliquer votre plan.
Español
Tu objetivo
Crear una rutina de aprendizaje realista y describir situaciones posibles con el primer condicional.
Vocabulario útil
- shift
- Turno de trabajo programado.My early shift ends at two.
- ambitious
- Que exige mucho esfuerzo o tiene objetivos elevados.Finishing ten chapters tonight is an ambitious plan.
- duty
- Deber o tarea que se espera que hagas.Checking the door is my final duty before closing.
- purpose
- Propósito o razón para hacer algo.The purpose of this dialogue is to practise making a booking.
- option
- Opción que se puede elegir.Reading one page is another option.
- crowded
- Demasiado lleno de personas, cosas o actividades.Friday is crowded with meetings and deliveries.
- adjust
- Ajustar algo para que se adapte mejor.We can adjust the timetable next week.
- sustainable
- Que se puede mantener a lo largo del tiempo.For me, two short sessions are a sustainable routine.
El primer condicional
Para una situación futura posible y su resultado esperado, usa if + presente simple y will + verbo base: If Theo has time, he will read. No pongas will en la parte con if. Si esta va primero, usa una coma. El resultado también puede ir primero: He will read if he has time.
- If I have five minutes, I will review my cards.
- If his shift changes, Theo will adjust the plan.
- We will practise a dialogue if Salma is free.
Hazlo tuyo
Diseña un plan de aprendizaje de 80 a 100 palabras para una semana cambiante. Incluye tres oraciones con if según el tiempo disponible, una razón con because y una actividad de recuperación de una lección anterior.
Comprobar y recordar
Di las dos formas verbales del primer condicional. Recuerda un hábito, un comparativo y una estrategia de lectura de las lecciones anteriores y úsalos para explicar tu plan.
العربية
هدفك
بناء روتين تعلم واقعي ووصف مواقف محتملة باستخدام الشرط الأول.
مفردات مفيدة
- shift
- فترة عمل محددة في جدول.My early shift ends at two.
- ambitious
- طموح ويتطلب جهداً كبيراً أو يهدف إلى إنجاز كبير.Finishing ten chapters tonight is an ambitious plan.
- duty
- واجب أو مهمة يُتوقع منك القيام بها.Checking the door is my final duty before closing.
- purpose
- الغرض أو السبب من فعل شيء.The purpose of this dialogue is to practise making a booking.
- option
- خيار يمكن اختياره.Reading one page is another option.
- crowded
- مزدحم بالأشخاص أو الأشياء أو الأنشطة.Friday is crowded with meetings and deliveries.
- adjust
- تعديل شيء قليلاً ليصبح أنسب.We can adjust the timetable next week.
- sustainable
- قابل للاستمرار مع مرور الوقت.For me, two short sessions are a sustainable routine.
الشرط الأول
للتعبير عن موقف مستقبلي محتمل ونتيجته المتوقعة، استخدم if مع المضارع البسيط، ثم will مع الفعل بصيغته الأساسية: If Theo has time, he will read. لا تضع will في جملة if. إذا جاءت جملة if أولاً، ضع بعدها فاصلة. ويمكن تقديم النتيجة: He will read if he has time.
- If I have five minutes, I will review my cards.
- If his shift changes, Theo will adjust the plan.
- We will practise a dialogue if Salma is free.
دورك الآن
صمم خطة تعلم من 80 إلى 100 كلمة لأسبوع متغير. أضف ثلاث جمل باستخدام if حسب الوقت المتاح، وسبباً باستخدام because، ونشاطاً لاسترجاع المعلومات من درس سابق.
راجع وتذكّر
اذكر صيغتي الفعل المستخدمتين في الشرط الأول. تذكر عادة وصفة مقارنة واستراتيجية قراءة من الدروس السابقة، ثم استخدمها لشرح خطتك.
Check your answers
Story answers
- The empty timetable boxes feel like unfinished duties.
- He can recall five words, practise a booking dialogue, or read two pages for pleasure.
- They add a weekly conversation in which Salma plays a visitor making a booking.
Language answers
- has — Use present simple in the if clause; Theo takes has.
- will adjust — The result uses will followed by the base verb adjust.
- If Salma is free, we will practise. — Replace will be with the present simple is in the if clause.
Français
- Utilisez le présent simple après if ; avec Theo, have devient has.
- Le résultat utilise will suivi de la base verbale adjust.
- Remplacez will be par le présent simple is dans la proposition avec if.
Español
- Usa presente simple en la parte con if; con Theo corresponde has.
- El resultado usa will seguido del verbo base adjust.
- Sustituye will be por el presente simple is en la parte con if.
العربية
- استخدم المضارع البسيط في جملة if؛ وتأتي has مع Theo.
- تستخدم النتيجة will ثم الفعل الأساسي adjust.
- استبدل will be بالمضارع البسيط is في جملة if.