Zero conditional

Condicional tipo cero

1. Zero conditional
• In english there are several types of conditionals, including the
zero conditional. This type of conditional is used in situatons
where if a condition is met, the same result always happens.

Si no te pones bloqueador, te quemas. Si tienes un virus, llama al informático.

2. zero conditional structure (affirmative)
• Conditionals are sentences made up of two phrases. The zero
conditional has the following structure:

If + present simple, present simple

(if + subject + verb + complement + , + subject + verb + complement)

CAUSE/CONDITION EFFECT/RESULT
• The order of the two phrases that make up the structure of the
conditional can be shifted. If we start with the cause/condition
(If), we Will separate them with a comma. If we start with the
effect/result phrase, it is not necessary to put the comma.

If water reaches 100°C, it boils. Water boils if it reaches 100°C.

Si el agua llega a 100°C, hierve. El agua hierve si llega a los 100°C.
zero conditional affirmative sentences
1) If you mix yellow and blue, you get green.

2) If water freezes to 0°, it turns into ice.

3) If Lucy makes exercise for 2 hours, she gets tired.

4) If opossums are threatened, they pretend to be dead.

zero conditional affirmative sentences
1) You get green If you mix yellow and blue.

2) Water turns into ice If it freezes to 0°.

3) Lucy gets tired If she makes exercise for 2 hours.

4) Opossums pretend to be dead If they are threatened.

 2. zero conditional structure (negative)
• Something very interesting happens when we have negative
sentences with conditional sentences, that is, we can negate in
3 different ways:
1. Cause/condition if + subject + don’t(doesn’t) + verb + complement + , + subject + verb + complement

2. Effect/result if + subject + verb + complement + , + subject + don’t(doesn’t) + verb + complement

if + subject + don’t(doesn’t) + verb + complement + , subject + don’t(doesn’t) + verb + complement

3. Both (cause/condition and
effect/result)
zero conditional negative sentences
1) If you don’t brush your teeth 3 times a day, your
breath stinks.

2) If Mario fails his university entrance exam, he doesn’t

have another school as an alternative.

3) If we don’t win our easiest match, we aren´t ready

yet.
zero conditional negative sentences
1) Your breath stinks If you don’t brush your teeth 3
times a day.

2) Mario doesn’t have another school as an alternative

If Mario he his university entrance exam.

3) we aren´t ready yet If we don’t win our easiest

match.
3. how do we use the zero conditional?
• The zero conditional is used to express facts that are always
true, such as: scientific facts, scientific laws, and general truths.
• In addition to true facts, the zero conditional can also be used
to give instructions. In this case we will use an imperative to
express the instruction or warning.
 4. WHEN instead of IF
• This conditional (zero) is the only one in which we can
substitute the clause if by the clause when without altering the
meaning of the phrase.

If when
If you heat ice, it melts. when you heat ice, it melts.
If you don’t have enough money, you need to save when you don’t have enough money, you need to save
some. some.
If I study all the material, I usually don’t have problems when I study all the material, I usually don’t have
with the exercises. problems with the exercises.
If I don’t sleep enough time, I don’t feel energized the when I don’t sleep enough time, I don’t feel energized
next day. the next day.
Remember!
• The zero conditional is a type of conditional that is used to
express a cause-effect (condition-result) relationship in facts
that are always true (scientific facts, particular facts, among
others) or to give instructions of some kind.