Zero Conditional

We use zero conditional when the result of the condition is always true, like a scientific fact.

Eg: If you heat ice, it melts.

Take some ice. Put it in a saucepan. Heat the saucepan. What happens? The ice melts (it becomes
water). You would be surprised if it did not.

if condition result

Present Simple Present Simple

If you heat ice, it melts.

Exercises

1. The zero conditional is used when the result of the condition is

( ) no longer true
( ) still possible
( ) always true

2. "If you _______ water for a long time, it boils." Which is correct?

( ) heat
( ) heated
( ) had heated

3. "We get tired when we _______ get enough sleep." Which is correct?

( ) won't
( ) don't
( ) haven't

4. Fill in the blanks using the zero conditional.

a) If you freeze water ______________________ to ice. (it / turn)

b) It's easier to sleep if ______________________ stressed. (you / not / be)

c) The teacher gets angry if ___________________ hard. (we / not / work)

d) If ______________________ a word, I look it up in my dictionary. (I / not / know)

e) If children ____________________ well, they ________________ healthy. (not/eat) (not/be)

f) She ______________ expensive clothes, if she _____________ shopping. (buy) (go)

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 First Conditional
We use the first conditional to talk about a real possibility.

Eg: If I have money, I will buy a book.

We are talking about the future. We are thinking about a particular condition or situation in the future,
and the result of this condition. There is a real possibility that this condition will happen.

Eg: It is morning. You are at home. You plan to play tennis this afternoon. But there are some clouds
in the sky. Imagine that it rains. What will you do?

if condition result

Present Simple will + base verb

If it rains, I will stay at home.

1. The first conditional is used if there is _______ that the condition will happen.

( ) no possibility
( ) little real possibility
( ) a real possibility

2. "If we _______ free, we'll go with you." Which is correct?

( ) were
( ) are
( ) had been

3. "We'll win if we _______ well enough." Which is correct?

( ) play
( ) playing
( ) had played

4. Fill in the blanks using the first conditional.

a) If I win the lottery, ________________________ a new car. (buy)

b) If we go to the movies, _________________________ a comedy. (watch)

c) If they study hard, _____________________________ the exam. (not / fail)

d) If you sing, I ________________________________. (dance)

e) If she has a car, ______________________________. (drive)

f) If he eats a lot of sweet, __________________________ sick. (feel)

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 REVIEW EXERCISES 1

1) Fill in the blanks using the zero conditional.

a) If you go to bed late, ______________________ tired in the morning. (you / feel)

b) If people eat too much, they _____________ fat. (they / get)

c) If you touch a fire, you _____________ burned. (you / get)

d) People die if they _____________ .(they /not / eat)

e) You get water if you _____________ hydrogen and oxygen. (you / mix)

f) Snakes bite if they _____________ scared. (they / to be)

g) If a baby is hungry, _____________ . (he / cry)

h) If Polly doesn`t have homework, _____________out with her friends. (she / go)

i) Karen _____________ to work if the weather _____________good. (cycle) (to be)

j) You need to take my sister to the hospital if she _____ milk as she is allergic to it. (drink)

2) Choose the correct option.

a) If we sing very loudly, neighbours _________ happy.

( ) isn`t

( ) aren`t

( ) don`t

b) If I _________ very tired, I always yawn.

( ) was

( ) will be

( ) am

c) If he _________ breathing, he dies.

( ) stop

( ) stops

( ) stopped

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3) Write the verb into the correct first conditional form.
(Escreva o verbo usando corretamente a first conditional)

a) If I ___________ out tonight, I ___________ to the cinema. (go) (go)

b) If you ___________ back late, I ___________ angry. (get) (be)

c) If we ___________ each other tomorrow, we ___________ each other next week. (not/see) (see)

d) If he ___________, I ___________ surprised. (come) (be)

e) If we ___________ here, we ___________ late. (wait) (be)

f) If we ___________, on holiday this summer, we ___________ to Spain. (go) (go)

g) If the weather ___________, we ___________ a picnic. (not/improve) (not/have)

h) If I ___________to bed early, I ___________ tired tomorrow. (not/go) (be)

i) If we ___________ all this cake, we ___________ sick. (eat) (feel)

j) If you ___________ to go out, I ___________ dinner at home. (not/want) (cook)

4) Read this sentence and check the correct alternative.

“[…] if I do not keep my room clean for one day, my dad turns off the wi-fi and the cable.
(Se eu não mantenho meu quarto limpo por um dia, meu pai desliga a internet sem fio e o cabo da
tv).

The sentence refers to:

( ) A general situation, a fact.

5) Read Winston Churchill’s quote and then check the correct alternative.

“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.”
(Você nunca chegará ao seu destino, se você parar para atirar pedras em todo cachorro que latir).

Churchill’s quote refers to:

( ) An unreal situation.
( ) A real situation.

6) Using the first conditional, complete the sentence correctly:

If you give me a minute, I ________ with you (go).

( ) will went.
( ) will go.
( ) will goes.

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 REVIEW EXERCISES 2

1) Read the quotes below and do the following activity.

“There is so much each one of us can do to make a difference. We are at a dangerous juncture in the
history of mankind. We need to defend our principles and values, human rights, civil liberties and the
rule of international law. If we don`t, our world will further descend into a state of chaos.”

Bianca Jagger (Nicaraguan-born social and human rights advocate)

-----
“Don`t accept that you can`t make a difference. Because if you can`t make a difference, you won`t
make a difference, and if you put a multiplier on that we will continue on an unsustainable pathway.”

Maurice Strong (Canadian businessman and former diplomat representing Canada as under-
secretary general of the United Nations)

-----
“None of us alone can save the nation or world. But each of us can make a positive difference if we
commit ourselves to do so.”

Cornel West (American philosopher, academic, activist, author)

-----
Match the columns to form conditional sentences based on the quotes you`ve read.

( 1 ) If we commit ourselves,

( 2 ) If we don`t defend human rights,

( 3 ) If we accept we can`t make a difference,

( ) we will not make a difference at all.

( ) we can make a positive difference in the world.

( ) our world will become chaotic.

2) Complete using the zero conditional.

a) If you press that button, the TV _______________(come) on.

b) I think it's more difficult to sleep if_____________________(you / not / be) tired.

c) My mother gets nervous if_________________________ (I / not / work) hard.

d) Her father gets annoyed if_____________________________(she / be) late.

e) If ice gets hot, it ____________________(melt).

f) If you prefer, ___________(take) a cab.

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3) Complete using the first conditional.

a) She _____________________(accept) to do it unless the payment is too low.

b) If you don't pay attention, you _________________________(understand) it.

c) ___________ you ________________ (help) me if I need you?

4) Match the corresponding sentences:

(b) If you heat water,

(c) If you love her,

(d) If you heat ice,

( ) talk to her.

( ) visit Paris.

( ) it turns to water again.

( ) it evaporates.

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