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I want to express a future event that will happen once, depending on a present condition, not future.

For examples: "If he knows this, he will get a prize", "If he loves me, he will propose", "If you listen to this music, you will like that" As I read the rule about first conditional, "if" always implies a future event (future - future): "We use the first conditional to talk about the result of an imagined future situation, when we believe the imagined situation is quite likely." I'm at a loss. How do I have to say?

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  • Where do you read the rule about the first conditional? Commented Oct 13 at 5:13
  • I read it here dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/… , but other authoritative sources say the same. Commented Oct 13 at 9:07
  • The article is about the most important types of conditional. It doesn't say that other combinations are forbidden. When you're teaching something you often simplify it and don't cover every possible variation. See Wikipedia. Commented Oct 13 at 9:25
  • BTW, the third example sentence (If you listen to this music, you will like that.) sounds a bit odd with the words this and that juxtaposed, assuming the context is something similar to If you try it, you'll like it. I'm not certain what that refers to. Commented Oct 13 at 21:22
  • @HippoSawrUs - Presumably the OP means you will like it (the music being recommended)? Commented Oct 14 at 8:07

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"If he knows this, he will get a prize", "If he loves me, he will propose", "If you listen to this music, you will like that"

All these sentences are fine and idiomatic.

As I read the rule about first conditional, "if" always implies a future event (future - future)

The rule is an oversimplification. I was unfamiliar with the term "first condition" and so googled it and found the terms "zero, first, and second conditional." This framework describes the most frequent usages of conditional clauses but leaves many less frequent types out.

The "if" clause is not limited in use to future reference but can be used for present or even past reference. For example,

If it is raining now, we will have to cancel the picnic later today. The grounds will be too muddy. (This sentence presumes the speaker cannot see whether or not it is raining at the moment of speaking.)

If it rained last night, we will have to cancel the picnic later today. The grass will be too wet. (This sentence presumes the speaker has not yet seen evidence of last night's weather.)

These sentences contrast with future reference, such as:

If it rains tomorrow, we will have to end the picnic early.

The above uses present events as possibilities that should be considered within the context of the discourse. If you want to describe possible events that are only hypothetical or even contrary to fact, you would say:

If it were/was raining now, we would have to cancel the picnic later today. The grounds would be too muddy. (This describes a situation contrary to the actual facts.)

If it had rained last night, we would have to cancel picnic later today.
The grass would be too wet. (This sentence presumes the speaker has not yet seen evidence of last night's weather.)

If it rained tomorrow, we would have to end the picnic early.

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There is no such rule. It is correct to use a first conditional as "If he loves me, he will...."

The idea about "future-future" is just because the future is often uncertain, so it is natural for conditionals about events to refer to future events rather than past events, and "will" is not used in the "if" clause. In an if clause the present tense can refer to present states or to future events.

So compare "If he loves me" (about a possible present state) with "If he falls in love with me" (about a possible future event)

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The first two examples given have stative verbs in the if-clauses, namely knows and loves which convey states of being here, not actions in the action verb grammatical sense.

Stative verbs are not used in continuous tenses. This means they do not appear in forms like “am loving” or “is knowing.” Instead, they are usually found in simple tenses.

For example:

  • “He knows the answer.” (not “He is knowing the answer.”)
  • “She loves chocolate." (not “She is loving chocolate.”)

[7esl.com/stative-verbs]

So a stative verb would express more of an "existing condition" (per 7ESL) rather than a "present condition" as you say.

Note: Some verbs may be either stative or dynamic, depending on their meaning and role served in the context. [Stative verb - Wikipedia]

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It is called the conditional future: You can use adverbs as conjunctions such now, then, next, only, just, to help with expressing the intended meaning.

Clauses are used to express and relate different elements in a sentence.

The verbs must be in the present tense in one, and the future in the other:

He will win, only if he knows this.

If he loves me, then he will propose.

Improved syntax:

He will propose, if he loves me.

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