What is the zero conditional? English Grammar

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Asked by @ Sultan Mahmud Yousuf (Community Student)

What is the zero conditional? English Grammar

What is the zero conditional? English Grammar

English Time Ask Elo

Answered by @ Elo Kasia

Elo Kasia is the English Mentor for  ” English Grammar and Speaking Academy” ,  Join now.

What is the zero conditional? | English Time Ask Elo

Question Time: What is the zero conditional? English Grammar | English Time Ask Elo

  @ Sultan Mahmud Yousuf, Thank you for your question

  As usual, I will try to explain the difference using simple language and plenty of examples.

What is the zero conditional? English Grammar

Thank you, youtube – oomongzu.

What is the zero conditional (factual conditional)?

As you already know, conditional sentences are used to talk about events and their results and are made of a condition and result.

The four main types of conditional sentences are factual conditional, Possible conditional (1st conditional), Present unreal conditional (2nd conditional) and Past unreal conditional (3rd conditional).

Factual conditional (usually known as 0-conditional) is probably the easiest conditional to learn.

A conditional sentence is made up of two parts (clauses), the “if clause” and the “main clause”.

In 0-conditional we use:

If cause:… (Present Simple), main clause:… (Present Simple)

(NOTE: We can also change the order of clauses and have the main clause first followed by the if clause)

It is used to talk about habits, scientific facts and general truths, if something else happens first.

This conditional is used when the result will always happen. So, if water reaches 100 degrees, it always boils. It’s a fact.

We use it to talk about things in general, not a particular situation. We can usually replace “if” with “when” and the meaning stays the same.

Have a look at these examples:

• If you heat ice, it melts.
• If you get too hot, you sweat.
• If people eat too much, they put on weight.
• You get water if you mix hydrogen and oxygen.
• You pay higher income taxes when you earn more money.
• Snakes bite if they are scared.
• If babies are hungry, they cry.
• When John is out of the office, I take his calls.
• When you press the button, the doorbell rings.
• If I am late for work, my boss gets angry.
• If your husband dies, you become a widow.

Remember that the zero conditional refers to general situations, not specific ones.

Try making sentences about things around you and everyday phenomena, such as what happens if something else happens.

It is a very good way to practise and achieve fluency.

Make sure you follow our *TT exercises which will help you become a confident speaker.

Elo Kasia is the Community Mentor for ” English Grammar and Speaking Academy“. Director at Eloquent Learning Online, educational institution based in the UK. www.eloquentlearning.com.

What is the zero conditional? English Grammar