- Tape Script -

Conditionals always discuss a relationship between a condition and a consequence, or possible consequence, for this condition.

The conditionals are many in English, but we usually study 4 of them: The ZERO, the FIRST, the SECOND and the THIRD CONDITIONALS. Today, we will talk about ZERO CONDITIONAL!

So, let’s start:

Zero conditional is used to talk about THINGS THAT ARE OBVIOUS, GENERAL TRUTHS (things that are  always true everywhere), SCIENTIFIC FACTS or things from the REAL WORLD:

The structure consists of two parts: the CONDITION and the CONSEQUENCE. The IF-clause is always the condition. Here we use:

IF + SIMPLE PRESENT (and this part is the condition), (comma) and SIMPLE PRESENT again (now for the consequence)

If we put water in the freezer, it turns into ice.

When I say: If we put water in the freezer, it is my CONDITION

When I say: It turns into ice, it is my CONSEQUENCE

If you heat butter, it melts.

If you eat too much fat, you gain weight.

If you drink much alcohol, you get drunk.

Pay attention to an important fact: When we say SIMPLE PRESENT, it is different from saying INFINITIVE.

In SIMPLE PRESENT, we need to follow some rules. In affirmative sentences, when using the SUBJECT as HE, SHE or IT, we add S (+S) to the verb, like:

She goes

He likes

It wants

There are some rules and exceptions, such as HAVE, that for HE, SHE and IT, becomes HAS, in sentences like:

I have a house

My husband has a car

In order to help to study, I will leave all these rules in the end of the podcast tapescript description!

Teacher: and when we need to use the NEGATIVE form? in this case, we will use the AUXILIARY VERBS (DON’T or DOESN’T). We use DON’T for I, YOU, WE and THEY, like?

I don’t live in São Paulo

They don’t drink soda

We use DOESN’T for HE, SHE and IT. Note that in the negative form, we don’t add S to the verb!

He doesn’t work at that company

She doesn’t have a nice dress for the party

So, coming back to the conditionals. We will use SIMPLE PRESENT twice in the same sentence:

If the plant gets too much water, it dies.

If the plant doesn’t get enough water, it doesn’t grow.

If the children practice exercises, they keep healthy.

If the children don’t practice exercises, they don’t grow strong.

Pay attention when you use VERB TO BE. In Simple Present, verb to be is AM, IS or ARE. In the negative we use: AM NOT, ISN’T or AREN’T. With verb to be, we don’t use the auxiliary verbs DON’T or DOESN’T.

If you aren’t at school on time, you don’t enter.

If ice isn’t in the freezer, it melts.

Note that the comma in the middle of the two clauses is necessary, but if you change the order, it is not used:

If you spend the day at the beach, you get tanned. (here there is a comma between the two clause)

You get tanned if you spend the day at the beach. (in this order, the comma disappears)

That’s it! Hope you like it. Try to study that!

SIMPLE PRESENT RULES:

As promised, here are the rules for adding S to the verb in the Simple Present affirmative forms for HE, SHE and IT:

- When the verb ends in O, S, SH, CH, X, Z = +ES

He goes

She watches

- When the verb ends in VOWEL (aeiou) + Y = +S

He plays

- When the verb ends in CONSONANT (bcdfg…) + Y = -Y+IES

(cry) She cries

- HAVE (I, you, we, they) = HAS (she, he, it)

I have a dog

He has a dog

- For the other situations, only +S:

He listens

She sings