Zero and first conditional

by | Oct 27, 2021 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Previously we had talked about conditionals, but this time we are going to go deeper and buy the Zero Conditional and First Conditional and see in which situations we can make use of one or the other.

Zero conditional

We use the zero conditional to speak of situations involving universal truths or general facts. We will use the Present simple in the conditional sentence as well as in the triggering sentence. You can also substitute
If
 by
When
:

Conditionals in English

IF + subject + PRESENT SIMPLE, + subject + PRESENT SIMPLE

  • If you mix red and white, you get pink. If you mix red with white you get pink.
  • Plants die if they don’t get enough water. Plants die if they have no water.
  • If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils. If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.
  • My teacher gets angry if I don’t study. My teacher gets mad if I don’t study.
  • If she sleeps well, she rests. If she sleeps well, she rests.
  • If you want to come, call me before 3:00. If you want to come, call me before 3:00.

Let’s see how to do it with the following conditional and understand the differences between them.

First conditional

We will use the
first conditional
 to talk about particular situations that can happen in a safe way. We also use it when we talk about future plans, threats, warnings and promises or to convince someone of something.
To do so, we will use Present Simple y Future Simple. Its structure is also divided into two sentences, with the condition that the first one occurs, the next one can follow:

IF + subject + PRESENT SIMPLE,+ subject + FUTURE SIMPLEHow to use conditionals

  • I will help you get ready for the party if I get there on time.-I’ll help you get ready for the party if I’m on time.
  • If it gets cold you can use my coat.
  • If you train you will have a better performance.
  • If you feel hungry you can take food from the fridge.
  • I will make dinner for you if you come tonight .
  • If you come tonight I will make dinner for you. If you come tonight, I will make dinner for you.

We see that as we increase the number of conditionals, the probability that the event to be determined will happen is lower. When using the zero conditional we speak of truths, facts with total certainty. General truths. However, when we talk about the first conditional We do this to express a certain degree of doubt, and with future intentionality. Also to make warnings and to speak on more particular topics than in the first conditional.

With this comparison you will be able to better understand the uses of conditionals in English, keep practicing and exploring the different articles we have published to improve your English. You can also tell us different examples that you like or the doubts you have about it, maybe someone else has them and we will solve them in another article.