The Zero Conditional is used to express general truths, facts, and situations that always happen when a certain condition is met. The action in the if-clause is a real or possible condition, and the result in the main clause is a direct, predictable outcome. This conditional is most often used to describe things that are always true, scientific facts, or cause-and-effect relationships.

 

Structure:

• If-clause: If + present simple

• Main clause: present simple

   

Form:

• If + subject + present simple verb + (object), subject + present simple verb.

   

For example:

• If you heat water to 100°C, it (water) boils.

• If it rains, the ground gets wet.

   

Use 1: General truths or facts

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The zero conditional is often used for universal truths or facts that are always true and do not change. These can be scientific facts or natural phenomena.

Examples:

• If you mix red and blue, you get purple. (This is a general truth about mixing colours.)

• If you touch a flame, it burns. (This is a scientific fact about fire.)

   

Use 2: Cause and effect

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The zero conditional is also used to describe situations where one action directly causes the other, and the result is predictable or consistent.

Examples:

• If you water a plant, it grows. (The action of watering always leads to growth.)

• If you press this button, the light turns on. (This is a predictable cause-and-effect relationship.)

 

Use 3: Personal Truths

 

The zero conditional can also describe predictable outcomes or habits that are specific to an individual. These are not universal truths, but they consistently happen for a particular person.

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Additional Examples of Personal Truths:

• If I don’t drink coffee in the morning, I feel tired all day.

• If I stay up late, I always wake up grumpy.

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Key Features:

1. No time reference: The zero conditional describes situations that are always true or consistent. It doesn’t refer to any specific time; the relationship is always true, regardless of when it happens.

2. No modal verbs: The zero conditional uses only present simple in both the if-clause and the main clause, without any modal verbs like can, should, may, etc.

3. General or predictable outcome: The result of the condition is always the same. There is no uncertainty, and the cause always leads to the effect.

    

Examples in Everyday Context:

1. If you add salt to water, it dissolves.

   • This is a scientific fact that happens every time you add salt to water.

2. If you heat ice, it melts.

   • This is another natural fact - the result (melting) happens every time you apply heat to ice.

3. If I don’t sleep well, I feel tired the next day.

   • This describes a cause-and-effect situation that always occurs. Lack of sleep leads to tiredness.

4. If it’s sunny, we go to the beach.

   • This is a habitual situation where a specific condition (sunny weather) leads to a predictable action (going to the beach).

      

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Using tenses other than present simple in the zero conditional.

  For example, "If you will heat water to 100°C, it boils" is incorrect. ❌

  The correct form is: "If you heat water to 100°C, it boils."   ✅

   

• Adding modals like can, will, should in the main clause.

  For example, "If you heat water to 100°C, it will boil" is incorrect for zero conditional use. That would be more appropriate for the first conditional (with will for future events).

   

Summary of the Zero Conditional:

 

• Purpose: To express general truths or cause-and-effect relationships that are always true.

• Structure: If + present simple, present simple.

• Common Uses: Scientific facts, cause-and-effect relationships, habits, universal truths.

By understanding the zero conditional, you can express facts, truths, and predictable events with clarity.