Conditionals

ZERO & FIRST

LA412
2023
Conditionals are sentences with two clauses that are closely
related (two verbs):
• an ‘if’ clause (condition-dependent on the main clause)
and
• a main clause (result)
They are used to express that the action in the main clause
(without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the
clause with if) is fulfilled.
Conditionals
If I have enough time, I will watch TV
conditional clause main clause
condition result

I will watch TV if I have enough time.

main clause conditional clause
result condition
 Conditionals: Summary

For your information, there are 4 different kinds of conditional sentences and
they depend on probability as shown in the table below. In this unit, we are
going to focus only in the “Zero” and “First” conditionals

probability conditional example time

Zero conditional If you heat ice, it Any time
100% melts.

50% first conditional If it rains, I will stay at future

home.

10% second If I won the lottery, I future

conditional would buy a car.
If I had won the
0% third conditional lottery, I would have past
bought a car.
AS INFORMATION:
There are 4 different kinds
of “conditionals” in
English
Zero Conditional: certainty
• We use the zero conditional when the result of the condition
is always true, like a scientific fact.
• We can make a zero conditional sentence with two present
simple verbs (one in the 'if clause' and one in the 'main
clause'):
If + present simple, .... present simple.

IF Condition Result
present simple present simple

If you heat ice it melts.

Zero Conditional: certainty

IF Condition Result
present simple present simple
If you touch fire, you get burned.
If babies are hungry, they cry.
If I eat peanuts, I get sick
If you heat water to a 100oC, it boils.

Note that we have two verbs and both are in the simple present tense
Zero Conditional: certainty

Result IF Condition
present simple present simple
You get burned if you touch fire.
Babies cry if they are hungry.
I get sick I eat peanuts.
if
Water boils. you heat it to a 100oC.
if

This table shows that you can invert the order of the clauses. The only
difference is that you don’t use commas when you start with the “result
clause”
ZERO CONDITIONAL

•Do you agree with this picture?

 If I get up late, ...

Pair If I don’t study for the exams, ...

Activity – If I drink too much coffee, ...
Zero If I eat too much, ...
Conditional
If you heat ice, ...
(whenever)
Create an “if” sentence in
which the result is always true.
First Conditional: real possibility
• The first conditional has the present simple after 'if', then the future simple in
the other clause:
if + present simple, ... will + infinitive
• It's used to talk about things which might happen in the future. Of course, we
can't know what will happen in the future, but this describes possible things,
which could easily come true.

IF Condition Result
present simple WILL + base verb
If it rains, I will stay at home.
First Conditional: real possibility
IF condition result
present simple WILL + base verb
If it rains, I won't go to the park.
If I study now, I'll go to the party tonight.
If I have enough money, I'll buy some new shoes.
If I see Mary, I’ll tell her
If it rains tomorrow, what will you do?

Note that we have two verbs: the condition clause (if) in the simple
presente tense. The result clause is in the future (WILL+base form of the
verb).
First Conditional: real possibility

result IF condition
WILL + base verb if present simple
I won't go to the park if it rains.
I'll go to the party tonight if I study now.
I'll buy some new shoes if I have enough money.
I’ll tell Mary if I see her.

Sometimes, we use shall, can, or may instead of will, for

example:
Ex: If you are good today, you can watch TV tonight.
 Examples: first conditional
(affirmative and negative sentences)

Examples
long forms short/contracted forms
If I study, I'll pass the
+ If I study, I will pass the exam. exam.
If I study, I won't fail the
If I study, I will not fail the exam.
exam.
- If I do not study, I will fail the exam.
If I don't study, I'll fail the
exam.
FIRST CONDITIONAL
 If it rains next weekend, ...

If my team wins the

championship, ...
Pair Activity
If I pass all the exams at the end of
the year, ...
First
Conditional If I have time tomorrow, ...

Create an “if” sentence which

result is a possibility
Activity
First Conditional
handout
WORDWALL ACTIVITIES
• https://wordwall.net/pt/resource/3064251/first-conditional

• https://wordwall.net/pt/resource/4778841/first-conditional

• https://wordwall.net/pt/resource/2694926/first-conditional