Zero Conditional
We use the zero conditional to talk about something that is generally or always true — facts, rules and habits.
Whenever the condition is true, something happens. Look at these examples:
- If you heat ice, it melts.
- If it rains, the ground gets wet.
- If I drink coffee at night, I don't sleep well.
How to make it
The basic pattern is:
→ If + condition, → result.
→ If + present simple → present simple.
- If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.
- If you press this button, the machine stops.
- If I am tired, I go to bed early.
Instead of if, you can use when, if the result is expected to happen every time (inevitably):
- When you heat ice, it melts.
Word order
We can put the if-clause first or second:
- If + condition, → result.
If it rains, the ground gets wet. - Result + if + condition.
The ground gets wet if it rains.
When the if-clause comes first, we normally use a comma after it.
Quick reference
The zero conditional describes something that is generally or always true.
We can use two forms:
- If/When + present simple (condition), → present simple (result).
If you heat ice, it melts. - Present simple (result) + if/when + present simple (condition).
Ice melts if you heat it.
