2024-08-16 Zero conditional – Conditionals with Georgie

USES OF THE ZERO CONDITIONAL

To talk about scientific facts.

• If you heat water, it boils.
• You get purple if you mix red and blue paint.

To talk about general or personal truths. 

• If I don’t get a good night’s sleep, I can’t concentrate very well the next day.
• I feel a bit stressed out if I don’t play the guitar when I get home from work.

To talk about rules and laws.  

• If you don’t buy a train ticket and get caught, you get a fine.
• If we film videos in the wrong part of the building, they tell us to move.

STRUCTURE

Example: If I sleep badly, I am grumpy in the morning.

Condition (if-clause): present simple 

Result (main clause): present simple 

You can change the order of the sentence and the meaning stays the same:

If I sleep badly, I am grumpy in the morning.

or

I am grumpy in the morning if I sleep badly.