ZERO CONDITIONAL
What happens if you leave a glass of water outside on a hot day? What about if you mix baking soda with vinegar? These are examples of the zero conditional – a special type of sentence we use to talk about facts, truths, and situations that are always true under certain conditions. Let’s discover how to use it!
Concept: Zero Conditional Structure
In the zero conditional, we talk about things that are always true in certain situations or under certain conditions. We use it to describe scientific facts, general truths, or things that always happen if something else happens first.
Structure:
If + present simple, present simple.
- Example 1: If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.
- Example 2: If you mix red and yellow, you get orange.
In the following video you will have a quick masterclass regarding this topic:
Why is it important to use the Zero Conditional daily?
- You use the zero conditional every day without even realizing it! Whether it’s rules, instructions, or facts, you encounter them in conversations, books, instructions, or even when you’re learning science or math. For example:
- “If it rains, the ground gets wet.”
- “If you study hard, you improve your skills.”
These are truths and rules that always apply – just like the zero conditional.
Dive into the interesting differences and nuances of formal and informal English:
Learning Activities
Engage in the following activities to practice what you’ve learned throughout this lesson:
Create a Guide for New Students
Objective: Use must, have to, mustn’t, and don’t have to to give advice or rules.
Instructions:
- Imagine you are creating a guide for new students at your school, workplace, or a public place.
- Write 5-6 rules using the modal verbs of obligation and prohibition (e.g., must, have to, mustn’t, don’t have to).
- Example: “You must hand in your homework on time.”
- Example: “You mustn’t use your phone during class.”
- Example: “You don’t have to bring lunch if you don’t want to.”
- Share your guide with a partner and compare the rules you created. Discuss any differences in how the rules can be worded.
Prohibition and Obligation Sorting Game
Objective: Sort sentences into the correct categories: obligations or prohibitions.
Instructions:
- Your teacher will give you a set of cards with sentences on them. Some sentences express obligations, and others express prohibitions.
- Work in pairs or small groups to sort the cards into two categories: Obligations and Prohibitions.
- Example of obligations: “You must complete the project by Friday.”
- Example of prohibitions: “You mustn’t talk during the test.”
- Once you’ve sorted the sentences, discuss with your partner why each sentence belongs in the category you chose.
- After discussion, each group will share one sentence from each category with the class, explaining the reason behind the rule.