Zero Conditional

Reads

What’s Zero Conditional?

The Zero Conditional is a way to talk about things that are always true or happen the same way every time, like a rule. It’s like saying, “If this happens, that happens.”

When to Use

Use Zero Conditional when you’re:

Describing General Truths:

If you drop a ball, it falls.

or

Talking about Scientific Facts:

If you heat ice, it melts.

or

Explaining Routines or Habits:

If I study, I learn.

or

Describing
Situations or Results
that are
Consistent and Don’t change:

If you touch fire, it burns.

or

Giving Advice or Warnings

Don’t eat candy when you feel sick.

Also, use Zero Conditional with imperatives.

What’s an imperative?

Imperative is when you tell someone what to do,
like “Close the door” or “Be quiet”.

How to Use & Structure

You just need three parts:

If/When + Present Simple, Present Simple.

or

Imperative + Present Simple + if/when +Present Simple.

or

Present Simple + if/when + Present Simple

Basic structure:

ConditionIf/WhenIfWhenIfWhenIfWhen

ActionPresent Simpleyou mix yellow and blue,
you mix red and yellow,you mix red and white,you mix red, blue, and yellow,you mix black and white,you mix red and blue,

ResultPresent Simpleyou get green.
you get orange.
you get pink.
you get brown.
you get gray.
you get purple.

Structure with imperatives:

ConditionIf/WhenIfWhenIfWhenIf

SituationPresent Simpleyou’re cold,
you feel sick,the dog’s hungry,the children behave badly,the traffic is bad,

Suggested ActionPresent Simpleput on a coat.
call a doctor.
feed him.
call me.
cycle to work.

Structure with negative imperatives:

NegativeImperativeDon'tDon'tDon'tDon'tDon'tDon't

ActionPresent Simplemix red and green
eat candy
touch dogs
jump
run fast
shout

ConditionPresent Simpleif you want blue.
when you feel sick.
when they growl.
when you see a puddle.
when you carry water.
when you sit in class.

Reversed structure without a comma:

ResultPresent SimpleRed and blue make purple
Ask the teacher
Water boils
Add yellow and red
Crayons melt

ConditionIf/Whenwhenifwhenifif