Our lessons on conditional sentences focus on understanding the zero-type conditional sentence, which is a core component of English grammar tests. The form and usage of conditional-clause type O are also much easier to remember than other types.
This article will guide you through a detailed examination of the conditional sentence type-0. It includes definition, form and contextual usage to understand all the rules of if-clause-type-0 sentences.
1. Definition of zero conditional sentences
What is the zero conditional sentence(s)?
Before studying zero conditional examples, you must clearly understand conditional sentences as a whole. In English, conditional sentences describe an event that may or may not happen and their possible results.
A conditional sentence (also known as an ‘If sentence’) will consist of two separate clauses:
The main clause, also called the result clause.
The “If” or subordinate clause, which provides conditions and hypotheses to make the main clause come true.
Based on the temporal nature and likelihood of the hypothetical clause, conditional sentences in English include the following types:
Conditional sentences type 0
Mixed conditional sentences
What Is a zero conditional sentence(s)?
Conditional sentence type 0 describes an obvious truth or scientific event (rules of weather, universe, nature). This sentence form also indicates a habit that occurs when the condition happens first.
Examples of conditional sentence type 0:
If you heat ice, it melts.
If you freeze water, it becomes solid.
If it rains tomorrow, I'll take the car.
If Jenny gets up, she brushes her teeth first.
2. Form of conditional sentence type 0
If clause (Nếu) | Main clause (Thì) |
|---|---|
If + S + V(s, es) …, | S + V(s, es) … |
Note:
The two clauses of a zero conditional sentence are in the simple present tense.
The conditional clause (If) is in the first or second clause of the sentence.
If the “If clause” comes first, there must be a comma “,” between the two clauses.
For example:
It becomes yellow if you mix red and green.
When the sun goes down, it gets dark.
3. Inversion form of zero conditional sentences
The inversion in conditional sentences type 0 expresses politeness and indicates a request or asking for a favour.
To be | Other Verbs |
|---|---|
Should + S1 + (not) + be + Adj/N, S2 + V | Should + S1 + (not) + V-inf, S2 +V2 |
Ví dụ: If she’s back, please let her know that I came. → Should she be back, please let her know that I came. | Ví dụ: If we leave a block of ice out of the freezer, it melts. → Should we leave a block of ice out of the freezer, it melts. |
4. Use of conditional sentence type 0
Used to express an obvious truth or truth | If babies are hungry, they cry
|
Used to request, ask for help, or say something | If you can play chess, teach Jenny how to play.
|
Used to describe a habit, action or event that frequently occurs. | If I’m tired, I go to bed early.
|
5. Note the use of conditional sentence type 0
In addition to the form and usage for each context mentioned above, you should pay attention to the following:
‘If’ can be replaced with When / Whenever
In 0-type conditional sentences, you can replace IF with When/whenever without changing the sentence meaning.
When you press the button, the doorbell rings.
We get tired when we don’t get enough sleep.
The If clause and main clause can be interchanged
The If clause and the main clause in a zero conditional sentence can change positions without changing the sentence's meaning. For example:
Anna always says no if Jenny invites her to come to the party on the weekend.
6. 0-type conditional sentence exercises (with answers)
Exercise 1: put verbs in brackets into the appropriate form
1. If I ………………… (not wake up) early, I ………………… (be) late for school.
2. If my husband ………………… (cook), he ………………… (burn) the food.
3. If Sarah ………………… (not/wear) a hat, she ………………… (get) sunstroke.
4. If children ……………… (not/eat) enough nutrition, they ……………… (not/be) healthy.
5. If you ………………… (mix) water and electricity, you ………………… (get ) a shock.
6. If people ……………….. (eat) too many sweets, they ………………… (be) overweight
7. If you ………………… (smoke), you …………….. (get) yellow fingers.
8. If children ………………….. (not/play) outside, they ………………… (get) overweight.
9. Everybody ………………. (be) grumpy if it …………………(rain) a lot.
10. The river …………….. (freeze) if it ………………… (be) extremely cold.
Exercise 2: fill in the blanks
1. Their teacher gets annoyed ………………… (students/use) their mobile phones in class.
2. If I go to the doctor’s, ………………… (I/not feel) very well.
3. If you leave your bike here, ………………… (someone /could/take) it.
4. ………………… (food/stay) fresh for longer if you put it in the fridge.
5. If you drop the camcorder, ………………… (it/might/not work) properly.
6. We might miss the bus ………………… (not/leave) now.
7. ………………… (Poly/not have) a lot of homework, she goes out with her friends.
8. If you lend him money, ………………… (he/may/not pay) you back.
Exercise 3: write 0-type conditional sentences with given words
1. He / feel / faint / he / see / blood/.
2. It / not / matter / you / be / late/.
3. I / get / home / late / my mother / shout / at / me/.
4. your cat / sit / down / you / say / “sit”/?
5. Harry / feel / depressed / heavily/ it / rain/.
6. My grandparents/ feel/ good/ I/ visit/ regularly/them/.
7. You/ need/ take/ my/ brother/ hospital/ he/ seafood/ as/ he/ allergic/ it/.
8. I/ try/ cook/ I/ burn/ food/.
9. You/ smoke/ your skin/ age/ quickly/.
10. It/ rain/ plants/quickly/ grow/.
Answers
Exercise 1: put verbs in brackets into the appropriate form
1. don’t wake up / am
2. cooks / burns
3. doesn’t wear / gets
4. don’t eat /aren’t
5. mix / get
6. eat / are
7. smoke / get
8. don’t play / get
9. is / rains
10. freezes / is
Exercise 2: fill in the blanks
1. if students use
| 5. it might not work
|
Exercise 3: write 0-type conditional sentences with given words
1. He feels faint if he sees blood.
2. It does not matter if you are late.
3. If I get home late, my mother shouts at me.
4. Does your cat sit down if you say “sit”?
5. Harry feels depressed if it rains heavily.
6. My grandparents feel good if I visit them regularly.
7. You need to take my brother to the hospital if he eats seafood as he is allergic to it.
8. If I try to cook, I burn the food.
9. If you smoke, your skin ages more quickly.
10. If it rains, plants grow quickly.
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