Zero Conditional - English grammar lesson
If you leave ice in the sun, it melts.
This is an example of a zero conditional sentence.
The first part is in the present simple tense
and the second part is also in the present simple tense.
What does this mean?
Zero conditionals are used for facts
that are generally true and do not change.
It refers to a general situation that always happens if a condition is met.
For example, in the rules of a game.
The condition always has the same result.
Zero conditionals are also known as Type 0 conditionals.
Let's look at this sentence again.
If you leave ice in the sun, it melts.
The condition is: if you leave ice in the sun.
This is an if-clause because it begins with IF
What is the result of this if-clause?
The result is: the ice melts.
But to avoid repeating the word ice,
we use the pronoun IT so we say: it melts.
Also, we have to use a comma at the end of an if-clause
when the if-clause comes at the beginning of the sentence.
Now this condition,
if you leave ice in the sun,
always has the same result,
the ice melts.
That is why we used the zero conditional with the if-clause
or condition in the present simple tens
and the result in the present simple tense too.
because we are talking about a fact or a general truth.
Let's look at some other example sentences.
If you stand in the rain, you get wet.
The condition is: if you stand in the rain.
The result is: you get wet.
Yes this is a general truth or fact...
if you don't have an umbrella.
If you keep milk in the fridge, it lasts longer.
The condition is: if you keep milk in the fridge
and the result: the milk lasts longer.
Yes, this is a fact.
If you put water in the freezer, it becomes ice.
What is the condition?
The condition is: if you put water in the freezer.
The result is: the water becomes ice.
This is another fact.
If I drink coffee at night, it takes me a long time to fall asleep.
The condition is: if I drink coffee at night.
The result is: it takes me a long time to fall asleep.
Yes, this is generally true about me.
All of these sentences begin with an if-clause.
Notice how there is a comma after the if-clause
when this if-clause is at the beginning.
In these examples, what tenses are used?
All of the verbs are in the present simple tense
so we know we are using the zero conditional
which means all of these sentences refer to a general truth or general fact.
So, we have seen the order of if-clause, comma, main clause,
which is the condition plus result.
If you stand in the rain, the condition,
you get wet, the result.
A comma is necessary between the two clauses
but we can also change the order of the sentence
and have the main clause, the result,
before the if-clause, the condition.
How can we change our example sentence?
If you stand in the rain, you get wet.
How can we change it to this order?
We say...
You get wet if you stand in the rain.
Note that with this order we do not use a comma between the clauses.
Let's change the order of the example sentences we have already seen.
If you leave ice in the sun, it melts.
This becomes...
Ice melts if you leave it in the sun.
If you keep milk in the fridge, it lasts longer.
This becomes...
Milk lasts longer if you keep it in the fridge.
If you put water in the freezer, it becomes ice.
This becomes...
Water becomes ice if you put it in the freezer.
If I drink coffee at night, it takes me a long time to fall asleep.
You can change the order and it becomes...
It takes me a long time to fall asleep if I drink coffee at night.
We can often use WHEN instead of IF and it has the same meaning.
We can say:
If you keep milk in the fridge, it lasts longer.
Or you can also say:
When you keep milk in the fridge, it lasts longer.
The result is always the same.
One thing, a condition, always leads to another, a result.
Another example:
If you leave ice in the sun, it melts.
We can replace IF with WHEN and it becomes:
When you leave ice in the sun, it melts.
There is no difference in meaning when you change IF for WHEN in zero conditional sentences.
I hope you found this English grammar lesson about the zero conditional useful.
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