First Conditional Error Correction

In a standard first conditional, the if-clause does not take "will" because the future meaning already comes from the result clause. We say "If she arrives early, we will start," not "If she will arrive early, we will start." This is the mistake this error-correction exercise asks you to spot quickly: learners often see a future situation and put a future verb in both halves of the sentence. In normal A2-B1 first conditional sentences, keep the if-clause in the present simple and use will, can, might, or an imperative in the main clause.

Start with meaning before you edit the verb. Use zero conditional when the result is general, repeated, or always true: "If people do not sleep enough, they feel tired." Use first conditional when the speaker means one real future possibility: "If people do not sleep enough tonight, they will feel tired tomorrow." Both patterns can use the present simple after "if", so the result clause and the context do most of the work. In an error-correction sentence, ask whether the sentence describes a rule of life or a possible future event.

No. "Will" is common, but a correct first conditional can use other result patterns. Use "might" for a less certain result, "can" for permission or possibility, "going to" for a plan, or an imperative for an instruction: "If you see Marta, tell her to call me." This matters in click-edit proofreading because not every unusual-looking chunk is wrong. Do not replace every main clause with "will" automatically. The key check is whether the if-clause stays in the present simple and the result clause expresses a natural future result.