Zero Conditional for intermediate learners

conditionals

'If you don't eat or drink, you die'. 'If you heat water, it boils'. Zero conditional is used to talk about facts or situations which are always true.

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What Is Zero Conditional?

Zero conditional is a type of conditional sentence that expresses a general truth or fact that always happens when the condition is met.

If fish stays out of water, it dies.

Structure

A zero conditional sentence consists of two clauses:

if clause + main clause

The verb in both clauses of a zero conditional, is in the simple present tense.

If we heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.

If you eat too much, you get fat.

Punctuation

When the 'if' clause comes first, usually a comma is used between clauses. When the 'if' follows the main clause, there is no need for a comma. Pay attention to the examples:

If you murder a person, you go to jail.

You catch a cold if you don't wear warm clothes in winter.

Uses

The zero conditional is used to present a general statement, a scientific fact, or any kind of truth relating to the real world.

A general statement:

If you hurt an animal, it attacks you.

As you can see, both tenses are simple present and there is no need for auxiliary verbs or modals.

The streets are dangerous if the electricity is out.

A scientific fact:

If you don't sleep for more than 48 hours, you get sick.

Your mental health declines if you don't get some rest after work.

Interrogative Mood

Interrogative mood is a form of verb that is used to ask questions. Now if you want to learn how to make questions correctly, read this article.

Exclamatory Mood

There are six moods in English grammar. In this article, we will focus on the exclamatory mood. Exclamatives are moods of feelings.

Conditional Mood

Have you ever thought about something that might have happened if there was a different situation in the past? Conditionals help us talk about possibilities.

Conditional I

We use the conditional Type 1 when we want to talk about situations we believe are real or possible in the future. 'If I study hard, I'll pass the exam.'

Conditional II

Type 2 conditional sentences talk about situations that are hypothetical. There is a possibility that the condition will be fulfilled.

Conditional III

Conditional III indicates an impossible, hypothetical and unreal condition in the past and its probable result in the past. To learn about them, start reading!

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