Many of you know my colleague Aidan Isherwood. He is fantastic at grammar and has written the first in a series for the blog. This is on the conditionals. Most grammar I am competent at but the three conditionals are something I just don’t understand. I cannot even use them properly myself. So thank you Aidan!
Conditionals
The zero conditional
This is the first of a series of posts about conditionals, or If-sentences — though it is worth remembering that these sentences can also use When and Unless, not only If.
This first type of conditional is used to describe a condition that is always true. It is not speculating, or predicting or talking about the past or the future. For example:
- If you speak
Swedish, you probably understand
some Danish.
- If you are
from the south of Sweden,
you probably understand more Danish
than someone from the north ofSweden.
- If you heat water
to 100 C, it boils.
As you see, theses sentences use the present simple for the condition you describe and then the present simple again for the result.
|
IF + Present Simple, Present Simple |
We also use the same structure for giving instructions based on conditions, as follows:
- If you get there
before me, wait by the bar.
- If they get really
hungry, give them some fruit.
- When you arrive, call
me.
- Don’t call me, unless you really need to.
For further reference:
- A nice clear page
showing the basics http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/0cond.htm
- Taking it a bit
further http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/0cond.htm