Zero Conditional
Facts and repeated results with if or when
This lesson practises the printed Zero Conditional pattern for facts and relationships that are generally true or regularly follow: both the condition and result use the Present Simple. If and when can introduce the condition. Put a comma after a condition that comes first; omit it when the result comes first. Each verb agrees with its own subject. Other grammatical forms can also express general or repeated meaning, so follow the form requested in each exercise.
Key terms
| Pattern | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| If/When + Present Simple, Present Simple | a fact or generally true result | If you heat ice, it melts. |
| Present Simple + if/when + Present Simple | the same relationship with the result first | Ice melts if you heat it. |
| If + negative Present Simple, Present Simple | a general result under a negative condition | If plants do not get enough water, they die. |
A correct answer must match both the requested meaning and its clause pattern.
| Order | Punctuation | Model |
|---|---|---|
| condition first | comma after the condition | If it rains, I always take my umbrella. |
| result first | no comma before the condition | I always take my umbrella if it rains. |
Moving the condition changes the comma placement, not the basic relationship.
| Subject | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| I / you / we / they, with verbs other than be | base verb: they cry | do not + base verb: they do not cry |
| he / she / it / singular noun, with verbs other than be | verb + -s: it melts | does not + base verb: it does not melt |
| be | am / is / are | am not / is not / are not |
Check the subject inside each clause separately.
- 1Meaning: Choose a generally true relationship: heating ice produces melting.
- 2Condition: Use if plus Present Simple: If you heat ice.
- 3Result: Add a comma and a Present Simple result with agreement: If you heat ice, it melts.
- 1Start: Begin with the result: It melts.
- 2Add the condition: Follow it with if you heat ice.
- 3Check punctuation: Write It melts if you heat ice. There is no comma before the final condition clause.
- 1Condition subject: Plants is plural, so use do not get rather than does not get.
- 2Result subject: They is plural, so use die rather than dies.
- 3Complete: If plants do not get enough water, they die.
In the printed Zero Conditional pattern, if and when can both introduce the condition: If you cut an onion, it makes you cry; When you cut an onion, it makes you cry.
Do not decide from tense alone. First ask whether the prompt requests a fact or repeated result; then check that both clauses use the Present Simple.
A sentence with will can be grammatical, including for a general response, but it does not use the Present Simple result requested in these exercises.
When you put the result first, remove the comma: If it rains, I take my umbrella; I take my umbrella if it rains.
Rules
- 1Use the Zero Conditional for facts and results that are generally true or regularly follow from a condition.
- 2Build the condition with if or when plus the Present Simple, and build the result with the Present Simple.
- 3Use a comma after the condition when the if- or when-clause comes first.
- 4Do not add a comma between the clauses when the result comes first and the condition follows it.
- 5The condition and result may switch order while keeping the same basic relationship.
- 6Make every Present Simple verb agree with its own subject: a singular subject usually takes -s, while I, you, we and they take the base form.
- 7For verbs other than be, use do not or does not plus the base verb in negatives, and do or does in Present Simple questions. With be, use am/is/are and their direct negatives.
- 8For these exercises, preserve the printed Present Simple + Present Simple pattern as well as the stated general or repeated meaning.
Practice
10 easy · 10 medium · 10 hard
Up to 10 random questions per test