Zero conditionalWhen we want to talk about a possible or imaginary situation (a condition) and the consequences of it (the result), we can use a structure called 'the zero conditional'. In this structure we're talking about every time a particular condition happens, the result is always the same.
In our example, every time someone sends Kate an email, she writes back immediately. So the condition (that's the 'if' part) is that someone emails her and the result (what happens) is that she always writes a reply at once. Listen again: Neil: If someone emails her, she replies straight away. Every time she doesn't answer the phone, her phone machine takes a message for her. Here the condition is that she isn't in her office, and the result is that her machine always takes a message. Listen again: Neil : If she doesn’t answer, the machine takes a message. We make the zero conditional with 'If' followed by a present simple verb, Neil: If someone emails her, followed by another verb in the present simple. Neil: she replies straight away. In the zero conditional examples we heard today, we've used 'if' but you can also use when' and it has exactly the same meaning. BBC Learning English Grammar Challenge Grammar Challenge © BBC Learning English Page 2 of 2 bbclearningenglish.com © British Neil: When someone emails her, she replies straight away. Broadcasting Corporation 2007 So, to recap then: when we want to talk about a possible situation (where something might or might not happen) and the consequences of it (what will always happen as a result), we use 'the zero conditional'. And we make it with 'If' or 'When' followed by the present simple, followed by another present simple verb. That's all from me, good luck with your grammar challenge! Find out more Conditional sentences are usually made up of two parts, a conditional clause and a main clause. The conditional clause is the 'if' part of the sentence and the main clause is the result, what happens. There are other ways of forming a zero conditional sentence but this is the basic structure we talk about in this programme. CONDITIONAL CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE If / when present simple present simple If When you heat ice, she's not in, you don't water plants, it melts. her machine takes a message. they die. The two clauses can come in any order. In written English if the conditional clause comes first, you put a comma between it and the main clause. You don't use a comma if the main clause comes first. Note that the sentences above contain two examples of the zero conditional! |
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