Goal: Create interest, set the food context, wake the brain.
Show 3 images: a bowl of very spicy chili, a buffet with unlimited food, a carton of milk past its expiry date. Ask: "What would you do if you ate this?" Students shout quick reactions in pairs before any grammar is mentioned. Follow up with a mingle: students walk around asking classmates "What would you do if...?" about each image and note down two funny or surprising answers. Regroup as a class and share the most interesting responses, then bridge into the topic by asking "What do you think happens to your food choices in different situations?"
Goal: Meet the target language in natural use, before analysis.
Students read a short restaurant menu/policy text containing first conditional examples, e.g. "If you order the tasting menu, you'll get five courses." / "If you don't book by 7pm, you won't get a table on Friday." No grammar explanation yet — just comprehension questions ("What happens if you're late?").
Goal: Students analyse the language themselves and discover meaning, form, and pronunciation.
Worksheet — students find 5 conditional sentences in the text and complete a table: If-clause | Result-clause. CCQs: "Is this imaginary or a real possibility? Present or future? How certain — 100% or likely?" Students underline the verb in each clause and label the tense.
| If-clause | Result-clause |
|---|---|
Goal: Check answers, build the rule together, fill gaps.
Elicit answers from the table on the board. Co-build the rule: "If + present simple, ... will + base verb" (real/likely future situations). Address common errors (e.g. "will" appearing in the if-clause) with a quick mini-teach only where needed.
Goal: Practise accuracy with the target language.
Gap-fill about food scenarios:
Students check answers in pairs, then as a class.
Goal: Use the target language communicatively, in the student's own context.
Speaking chain game in pairs: Student A says "If I go to the market, I'll buy fresh fish." Student B continues "If I buy fresh fish, I'll cook paella." Chain continues as long as possible. Finish by writing 3 first conditional sentences about their own eating habits this week.