This document provides information about zero conditional sentences in English grammar. It begins by explaining that conditional sentences have two clauses: a conditional (if) clause and a main clause. A zero conditional expresses something that is always true when a certain condition occurs. It uses the present simple tense in both clauses since it refers to general truths and facts. Examples are provided like "If I eat too much, I get sick" and "Water boils if you heat it to 100 degrees." The document outlines the basic structure of zero conditional sentences and discusses their uses, such as for rules, scientific facts, cause and effect, routines, and negatives. It also presents alternatives to "if" like "unless," "as long as," and "

1. UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CHIMBORAZO
FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACIÓN HUMANAS Y TECNOLOGÍAS
LANGUAGE SCHOOL
GRAMMAR VII
“ZERO CONDITIONAL”
GROUP MEMBERS:
ALISON VARELA
MÓNICA NATALIA NARVÁEZ
JAIME TAPIA
8TH SEMESTER “B”

2. THEME 1: Introduction to conditional sentences
Conditional sentences are usually made up of two parts, a conditional clause and a main clause.
The conditional clause is the 'if' part of the sentence and the main clause is the result, what
happens.
Furthermore, a conditional sentence is a sentence structure commonly used in English to talk
about something (a result) that may happen ONLY IF something else happens first (a condition).
The conditionmaybe somethingreal orunreal/hypothetical, andthe resultcouldadefinite result,
or just a possible/likely result.
The most common type of conditional sentence uses if. These are the easiest conditional
sentences to form and understand. You could also use unless, when, after, before or as soon as.
Here, we will focus on using conditional sentences with if.
The two clausescan come inany order.In writtenEnglishif the conditional clausecomesfirst, you
put a comma between it and the main clause. You don't use a comma if the main clause comes
first.
Then there are 2 parts to a conditional sentence. These two parts are also called clauses.
[A clause is any part of a sentence with a subject and a verb.]
 Part 1 – the if or condition clause: the event that needs to occur; also called the
dependentclause because itisnota complete sentence andisdependentonthe 2nd part of the
sentence.
 Part 2 – the result or main clause, or what happens when the event in the if/condition
clause occurs; also called the independent clause.
Either part can come first:
 If I eattoo much,Iget sick.
[Whenthe ‘if’partcomesfirst,the two parts are separatedwitha comma( , )]
 I get sick if I eat too much.
Changingthe order of the clauses does not change the meaning; the two sentences above mean
exactly the same thing.

3. There are 4 types of conditional sentences in English:
0 (zero) conditional – real/factual conditional
If I eat too much, I get sick.
1st (first) conditional – future possible/real conditional
If I eat too much, I will get fat.
2nd (second) conditional – present unreal/hypothetical conditional
If I were fat, I wouldn’t be able to dance very well.
3rd (third) conditional – past unreal conditional
If I hadn’t eaten so much, I wouldn’t have gotten so fat.
Conditionals are structures which we use when talking about possible actions and their
results.
The zero conditional is a form which expresses what always happens if or when a certain
action takes place.
Furthermore, the zero conditional is a structure used for talking about general truths —
things which always happen under certain conditions.
For example:
 If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils.
(It is always true; there can't be a different result sometimes).
 If I eat peanuts, I am sick.

4. (This is true only for me, maybe, not for everyone, but it's still true that I'm sick
every time I eat peanuts)
Notice that we are thinking about a result that is always true for this condition. The result of
the condition is an absolute certainty. We are not thinking about the future or the past, or
even the present. We are thinking about a simple fact. We use the Present Simple tense to
talk about the condition. We also use the Present Simple tense to talk about the result. The
important thing about the zero conditional is that the condition always has the same result.
THEME 2: Zero conditional structures
 There are otherwaysof formingazeroconditional sentence butthisisthe basicstructure:
CONDITIONAL CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE
If / when present simple present simple
 A zeroconditional sentence consistsof twoclauses,an“if”clause anda mainclause.
(Inmost zeroconditional sentencesyoucanuse whenor if and the meaningwill staythe same.)
“if” clause main clause
If you heatwaterto 100 degrees, it boils.
 If the “if”clause comesfirst,a comma isusuallyused.If the “if”clause comessecond,
there isno needfora comma:
main clause “if” clause
Water boils if you heatitto 100 degrees,
 The zero conditional canalsouse whenand mustbe followedbythe simplepresentor
imperative.
“when” clause main clause
Whenit rains, tennislessonsare heldinthe gym.
(Itis importanttorememberthatthisconditionisnotrealated tothe past,presentor future - it
onlyapplies tothingswhichare ALWAYStrue).

5.  The zero conditional – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
If people eattoomuch,
theywill getfat.
If people eattoomuch,
theygetfat.
We use the presentsimple inbothclauses
of a zeroconditional.We are sayingthat
the conditionisalwaystrue.
 “if” negative clause  main clause
If you do notexercise, yougain weight.
 If you exercise,youdonotgainweight.
 If I don’tstudy,Idon’tdo well ontests
 “if” clause questions  main clause
If you have to work, whendoyou wake up?
 Doesice meltif you heatit?
 Whendo youwake up if youhave to work?
THEME 3: Zero conditional uses
1. We use to talk aboutrulesforexample:
 If you take your cell phone intoclass,itmustbe turnedoff.
 If you drinkalcohol,don’tdrive.
 Do not use a calculatorwhenyouwrite the test.
2. We use to talkaboutScientificFactsandGeneral Truths for example:

6.  If you heatwaterto 100 degreesCelsius,itboils.
 If you dropsomething,itfalls.
 Whenyoucombine oil andwater,theydo notmix.
3. We use to talkabout Cause and Effectforexample:
 If you pushthe button,the volume increases.
 If you close the door,it locksautomatically.
 The computerturns off whenyoudisconnectthe battery.
4. We use totalk aboutRoutine forexample:
 I wearmy bootswhenI work.
 She usesglasseswhenshe drives.
 WhenI cook,I use olive oil.
5. To expressnegativesstatements. Notice that'unless'meansthe same as'if not' forexample:
 Unlesshe asksyou to continue,stopall workonthe project.
 Unlessinterestratesare rising,it'snota good investment.
 Unlessyou've beentoTokyoyourself,youdon'treallyunderstandhow fantasticitis.
6. To give instructions,usingthe imperativeinthe mainclause forexample:
 If Bill phones,tell himtomeetme atthe cinema.
 AskPete if you're not sure whatto do.
 If you wantto come,call me before 5:00.

7. THEME 4: Alternatives to If
1. Unless
We sometimes use unless instead of if... not in the sense of except if, especially if we are
talking about present circumstances and conditions. The second sentence you have
quoted, Eveline, is a very good example of unless used correctly:
 The poor man won’t be able to buy a new car unless he wins the lottery.
He won’t be able to pay all the tax he owes unless he robs a bank.
Unless is well used here because it highlights an exception to what is generally true. It
works very well in the following examples too when the focus is on exceptions to the
general rule.
Compare the following and note the contrastive differences in meaning between if and unless:
a) Don’tphone me if you getintotrouble!
b) Don’tphone me unlessyougetintotrouble.
In the first,I am sayingthatI want nothingmore todo withyou,that I am disowningyou.Don’t
phone me underanycircumstances.Inthe second,I am sayingthatyou can phone me if youwant
to, butonly if you getintotrouble.
2. As longas / provided/ on conditionthat / only if
We can use these alternativesto if if we want to emphasize the conditionssurroundingthe
action,i.e.one thingwill happen onlyif anotherthinghappens.We canalsouse so long as and
providing(that) as alternativesto aslong as and provided(that).On condition that is formally
veryexplicit. Provided/providingare more formal than as long as / so long as.

8. Compare the following:
a) We will lendyouthe moneyonconditionthatitisrepaidwithin12months.
b) We will lendyouthe moneyprovided(that)youcanrepayit within12 months.
c) I don’tmindtalkingtothe press,but onlyif myidentityisprotected.
d) You can have the day off todayprovidingyouagree towork a double shifttomorrow.
e) You can borrowmy DVD playeraslongas you returnit onMonday.
3. Whether
In indirect speech, we can use if or whether to introduce reported yes/no questions:
Can you feed the cat for me while I’m away? - She wanted to know whether I could feed
the cat for her while she was away.
Do you have any free time on Sunday? - I’m not sure if I’ll have any free time on Sunday.
When there is a choice of two possibilities, particularly in a two-part question with or, we
normally use whether:
Let me know whether you can come or not.
I asked him whether he wanted to stay in a hotel or a B&B.
Whether (or not) he’ll be fully fit when the new football season kicks off, we don’t yet
know.
Compare the following conditional use with whether:
I’ll come with you to the hospital, if you want me to.
I’m coming with you to the hospital, whether you want me to or not.
a) In the first, where your friend is talking, there are a number of possibilities:
 you can go alone, go with a friend, go with your mother, etc, so if is used.
b) In the second, where your mother is talking, there are only two possibilities: you
either want her with you or not, so whether is used.