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Old 16-Dec-2007, 07:21
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Default 1st conditional + going to future or present cont.?

Hi

All grammar books I know state that 1st conditional sentences have to be built as follows:

IF + simple present, will + infinitive (or in reverse order)

e.g.

If you give me £5, I'll clean the flat for you.

I wonder if alternative structures are considered possible/acceptable:

IF + simple present, goint to future/present continuous

e.g.

If you give me £5, I'm going to clean the flat for you./I'm cleaning the flat for you.

I'm looking forward to any comments on this.

Kind regards

Nico
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Old 16-Dec-2007, 08:25
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Default Re: 1st conditional + going to future or present cont.?

I doubt that most native speakers would have any trouble understanding any of the three versions.
Forget the tense, just get the sense!
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Old 16-Dec-2007, 08:38
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Default Re: 1st conditional + going to future or present cont.?

I second your comment but that's not the point. As a non-native English teacher I'd like to be able to provide my students with something more substantial.

Cheers

Nico
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Old 16-Dec-2007, 12:37
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Default Re: 1st conditional + going to future or present cont.?

I'm sure you can say, "I'll clean the flat for you if you give me £5," but I don't know that the others are used.

(American English speaker)

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