ZERO CONDITIONALSF

IRST CONDITIONALS& TIME CLAUSES

Adapted from a presentation by Fernanda González

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

• Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses.

• They are used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled.

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

• Most linguists consider three types of Conditional Sentences, but some of them add one more type: zero conditionals.

ZERO CONDITIONALS

• Zero conditionals are used to talk about things that are always true as long as the condition occurs.

If you heat water, it boils.

If I have coffee after 6pm, I don´t sleep

ZERO CONDITIONALSZero Conditional sentences are formed as follows:

IF

Present Simple

Present Continuous

Present Perfect

Present simple Present continuous

Present perfect

ZERO CONDITIONALS

• This use is similiar to, and can usually be replaced by, a time clause using ‘when’.

If I am late for the school bus, my father takes me to school.

When I am late for the school bus, my father takes me to school.

FIRST CONDITIONALSFirst Conditional sentences express a possible condition and its probable result in the future.

If you don’t revise,

CONDITION RESULT

you’ll fail.

If you stay, I’ll leave.

FIRST CONDITIONALSWe can use the First Conditional to express different functions:

If you do that again, I’ll kill you.

A threat

Careful!, If you touch that you’ll get burnt.

A warning

FIRST CONDITIONALS

If you lend me the money, I’ll kiss you.

A promise

I’ll post the letter if you like.

An offer

FIRST CONDITIONALSFirst Conditional sentences are formed as follows:

IF

Present Simple

Present Continuous

Present Perfect

will

going to

imperative

can/must

FIRST CONDITIONALSExamples:

• If you go to Greece for your holidays, I can recommend a great hotel.

• If you haven’t finished by ten, you’ll miss the bus.

• If you arrive early, wait for me.

FIRST CONDITIONALS

THINGS TO CONSIDER:• The main clause and the if-clause

can often go in either order:

– If I feel like going out, I’ll give you a call.– I’ll give you a call if I feel like going out.

• Use a comma after the if-clause.

FIRST CONDITIONALSCONNECTORS:• The most common connector is IF.• Other connectors we can use are:

UNLESSPROVIDED/ PROVIDING (THAT)AS LONG ASON CONDITION THATSUPPOSE/ SUPPOSINGOTHERWISEIN CASE/ IN CASE OF

FIRST CONDITIONALSCONNECTORS:

• Unless you want to go today, we´ll go tomorrow.

• We´ll let you have a pet provided/ providing that you look after it properly.

• We´ll go to Sierra Nevada this weekend as long as the weather is ok.

• You can have a pet on condition that you look after it properly.

FIRST CONDITIONALSCONNECTORS:

• Suppose /Supposing the price of electricity tripled tomorrow, what would you do?

• You should study harder. Otherwise, you will fail your exams.

• I´ll take a coat in case the weather gets colder.

• In case of fire, leave the building immediately.

TIME CLAUSES• Time clauses and conditional

sentences have something in common:• Conjunctions of time

– as soon as– when– until– before– after

are always followed by a present, even though the time reference is future.

TIME CLAUSESEXAMPLES:• I’ll phone you when I get home.• As soon as I’ve finished reading the

book, I’ll lend it to you.• Don’t press that button until I tell you.• Before I get to work, I always

have a coffee at Starbuck’s.• I’ll go shopping after he takes

the children to school.

“If” or “in case”?“In case” is not exactly equivalent to “if”.Consider these examples:

I´ll take a jacket if it´s cold.It means I´ll take a jacket only if it´s cold.

I´ll take a jacket in case it´s cold.I´ll take a jacket anyway because it

might get cold later.

FIRST CONDIONALS &TIME CLAUSES EXERCISES

Make true sentences about yourself:

• I won’t stop studying English until . . .• I’ll be really annoyed if . . . • I’ll always live in Marbella unless . . .• I’d like to retire when . . .• I’ll have a big party if . . . • I´ll give you my phone number in

case…