CONDITIONALS
The conditional zero is used to describe the result of an action
when the result is always or almost always the same, use it to talk
about:
✓ General facts or truths
✓ Habits or routines
✓ To give instructions or make suggestions
DEFINITION:
Zero conditional (if)
Examples:
-If you add salt to water, it boils at a higher temperature.
-I listen to music when I travel by train.
-If you go to London, use public transport instead of cabs.
THE ZERO CONDITIONAL HAS TWO CLAUSES:
The conditional clause and the main clause.
Conditional clause
This clause describes the action or
condition that makes the main clause "WHEN": WILL OCCUR
true.
You can use "when" or "if":
"IF": IT MAY HAPPEN
"When I go on holiday ...“ (I will have a holiday, I am sure)
"If I go on holiday ..." (I might have a holiday, I might take a vacation I'm not sure)
In the English conditional clause you can use any form of the present,
FOR EXAMPLE:
PRESENT SIMPLE
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
"When I go on holiday, I go somewhere warm."
"If I'm reading a book, I wear
THE PERFECT PRESENT glasses."
"When I've finished work, I go to the gym.”
This clause describes the result of the conditional clause. The present
simple and the imperative are used:
PRESENT SIMPLE: for a general fact, habit or routine
"If I take the train, I buy a newspaper."
ADVERBS: can be used to describe how common the result is:
"If I take the train, I often buy a newspaper.”
IMPERATIVES: to make suggestions or give instructions
"If you have time, come to my house."
"When you get to the main road, turn right."
NO MATTER THE ORDER OF THE CLAUSES: THE MEANING IS THE SAME.
If the conditional clause is placed before the main sentence, a comma is used
to separate the clauses:
"When" / "If" + present, present simple
"When Sarah goes to London, she doesn't take her car.
No comma is used if we put the main sentence before the conditional clause:
present simple + "when" / "if" + present
"Sarah doesn't take her car when she goes to London.”
If you heat water, it boils.
Water boils if you heat it.
If you hit glass, it breaks. The glass breaks if you hit it.
If you flip the switch, the light switches on.
The light switches on if you flip the switch.
Examples:
✓If people eat too much, they get fat.
✓If you touch a fire, you get burned.
✓People die if they don't eat.
✓Snakes bite if they are scared.
✓If babies are hungry, they cry.
If you hit glass, it breaks.
Main
If clause
clause
Water boils if you heat it.
TAKE
Main NOTES:
If clause
clause
1. I go
If ………………………….. (I / go) on a boat, I always feel sick.
2. we don’t work (we / not / work) hard.
The teacher gets angry if ………………………….
3. you are not
It's easier to sleep if ………………………… (you / not / be) stressed
4. he is
His mother gets annoyed if ………………………… (he / be) late.
5. I don’t know
If………………………………. (I / not / know) a word, I look in my dictionary.
6. They don’t have (they / not / have) any homework.
They play football if …….………………………..
7. it turns
If you freeze water, ……………………………………. (it / turn) to ice
1. (I / wake up late / I / be late for work)
2. (my husband / cook / he / burn the food)
3. (Julie / not wear a hat / she / get sunstroke)
4. (children / not eat well / they / not be healthy)
5. (you / mix water and electricity / you / get a shock)
6. (people / eat / too many sweets / they / get fat)
7. (you / smoke / you / get yellow fingers)
8. (children / play outside / they / not get overweight)
