Conditionals: Form and Usage

Structure And Form

• Basic Structure:

  • If + simple present + simple present
  • Example: If it rains, the ground gets wet.

• Negative Form:

  • If + subject + do/does not + base verb + subject + base verb.
  • Example: If it does not rain, the ground does not get wet.

• Interrogative Form:

  • Does + subject + base verb + if + simple present?
  • Example: Does it rain if the sky is cloudy?

Use In Real Situations

• Describes general truths and scientific facts.
• Used for habitual actions or situations.
• Expresses cause and effect relationships.
• Common in instructions and rules.
  • Example: If you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it boils.

Common Verbs Used

• Common verbs typically used include:
  • Be
  • Have
  • Get
  • Rain
  • Freeze
  • Melt
  • Boil
  • Grow
  • Work

Examples And Exercises

• Examples:

  • If you touch a flame, it burns.
  • If the sun sets, it gets dark.

• Exercises:

  1. Fill in the blanks:

     • If you mix red and blue, you ___ (get) purple.
     • If it snows, the school ___ (close).

  2. Rewrite the following in zero conditional:

     • If you eat too much, you become sick. (Answer: If you eat too much, you get sick.)

Differences From Other Conditionals

• Zero Conditional:

  • Used for facts and truths.
  • Both clauses in simple present.

• First Conditional:

  • Used for real future situations.
  • Structure: If + simple present + will + base verb.

• Second Conditional:

  • Used for hypothetical or unlikely situations.
  • Structure: If + simple past + would + base verb.

• Third Conditional:

  • Used for past situations that did not happen.
  • Structure: If + past perfect + would have + past participle.

Structure And Form

• Basic structure: If + simple present + simple present (e.g., If it rains, the ground gets wet).
• Negative form: If + subject + do/does not + base verb + subject + base verb (e.g., If it does not rain, the ground does not get wet).
• Interrogative form: Does + subject + base verb + if + simple present? (e.g., Does it rain if the sky is cloudy?).

Use In Real Situations

• Describes general truths and scientific facts (e.g., water boils at 100 degrees Celsius).
• Applies to habitual actions or repeated situations.
• Expresses cause and effect relationships (e.g., if it freezes, it turns to ice).
• Commonly used in instructions and rules.

Common Verbs Used

• Typical verbs include:
  • Be
  • Have
  • Get
  • Rain
  • Freeze
  • Melt
  • Boil
  • Grow
  • Work

Examples And Exercises

• Example sentences illustrate structure:
  • If you touch a flame, it burns.
  • If the sun sets, it gets dark.
• Exercises include fill-in-the-blanks:
  • If you mix red and blue, you ___ (get) purple.
  • If it snows, the school ___ (close).
• Rewrite example transformed into zero conditional:
  • If you eat too much, you get sick.

Differences From Other Conditionals

• Zero Conditional:
  • Used for universally accepted facts; both clauses in simple present.
• First Conditional:
  • Relates to real future scenarios; structure is If + simple present + will + base verb.
• Second Conditional:
  • Addresses hypothetical or unlikely situations; structure is If + simple past + would + base verb.
• Third Conditional:
  • Focuses on past situations that did not occur; structure is If + past perfect + would have + past participle.