ZeroConditional
General truths
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Get talking · Section 1
5 minWarm up
What happens if you don't sleep enough? If you heat ice? Share one fact each.
Tell your partner one thing you always do if you feel stressed.
Remember one science fact from school (water, plants, metal...). Explain it simply.
Grammar focus · Section 2
8–10 minZero Conditional — always true
We use the Zero Conditional for facts, science and habits that are always true: If + present simple, present simple.
→ If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.
→ Plants die if they don't get sunlight.
→ If I drink coffee late at night, I can't sleep.
→ People feel happier if they exercise regularly.
More detail
The 'if' here means 'when' or 'every time' — the result always happens. Both clauses use present simple, and the order can be reversed without changing meaning.
If + present simple, present simple
e.g. If you mix red and blue, you get purple.
When to use
- Scientific and natural facts.
- General truths about the world.
- Personal habits and routines that are always the same.
- Rules and instructions ('If the light is red, you stop.')
| Clause | Tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| If clause | Present simple | If you touch fire, |
| Result clause | Present simple | you get burned. |
No 'will' here
Don't use 'will' in Zero Conditional: NOT 'If you heat ice, it will melt' for a general fact — say 'it melts'.
Memory tip
Zero Conditional = 'if' can be swapped for 'when' and the sentence still makes sense.
Natural English
Native speakers use Zero Conditional constantly for advice and small talk: 'If you're ever in London, you have to try...'.
Question 1.If you heat ice, it ____.
Question 2.Plants ____ if they don't get water.
Question 3.If I ____ tired, I go to bed early.
Question 4.Metal ____ when you heat it.
Question 5.If it ____ cold, water freezes.
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
Don't just read these — say one out loud, then use it about your life.
to boil
to heat liquid until it bubbles
"Water boils at 100°C."
Complete: 'Water boils if...'
to melt
to change from solid to liquid with heat
"Ice melts in the sun."
Name something else that melts.
to freeze
to change from liquid to solid with cold
"Water freezes at 0°C."
When does water freeze in your country?
to expand
to become bigger
"Metal expands when it gets hot."
What else expands with heat?
a habit
something you do regularly
"It's a bad habit to skip breakfast."
Share one of your habits.
instinct
a natural reaction, not thought about
"If a dog barks, my instinct is to step back."
Give an example of instinct.
Discuss with a partner
- →What happens if you leave milk out of the fridge?
- →Share a habit that always makes you feel better.
Finish the sentence about you
- If you heat... …
- If I feel tired,... …
- Plants die if... …
60-second write
Write 3 true Zero Conditional sentences about science or your habits.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minLinking 'if' smoothly into the sentence
- • If you heat it, it melts.
- • If I'm tired, I sleep early.
- • Plants die if they don't get water.
- • If you mix red and blue, you get purple.
How to say it
In fast, natural speech, 'if' links to the next word without a pause: 'if you' sounds like 'if-you' /ɪfjə/. Practise saying the two clauses as one smooth unit, with a small rise before the comma and a fall at the end.
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minEveryday science we don't think about
We use science every day without noticing. If you put metal in the microwave, it sparks — that's why we avoid it. If you leave a bicycle outside in the rain, it rusts over time because water reacts with the metal. Bread goes mouldy if you keep it in a warm, damp place for too long. On a personal level, most people feel more energetic if they sleep at least seven hours. If you skip breakfast, your concentration often drops by mid-morning. Small habits like these follow the same pattern: a condition, and a predictable result. That's the Zero Conditional in real life — not just for classrooms, but for the choices we make every single day.
Read carefully, then answer the detail questions. Underline the words in the text that gave you each answer.
Question 1.What happens if metal goes in the microwave?
Question 2.Why does a bicycle rust outside?
Question 3.What drops if you skip breakfast?
Q1.Metal sparks if you put it in the microwave.
Q2.Bread never goes mouldy in warm, damp places.
Q3.Most people feel more energetic with less sleep.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minA chat about habits and facts
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Nora:Did you know if you drink coffee after 6pm, you can't sleep well?
Ben:True for me. If I drink tea though, I'm fine.
Nora:Interesting. If I skip lunch, I get a headache in the afternoon.
Ben:Same here. And if it's really hot, I lose my appetite completely.
Nora:Makes sense — the body slows down if it gets too warm.
Ben:Exactly. If you stay hydrated though, it helps a lot.
Listen once for the whole picture, then again for the details before you answer.
Question 1.What happens to Nora if she drinks coffee late?
Question 2.What happens to Ben if he drinks tea?
Question 3.What happens to Nora if she skips lunch?
Exam skills · Section 7
5 minCambridge PET — Reading Part 2 (true/false facts)
Task
Read short factual texts and decide if statements are true, false, or not mentioned.
Strategy
Zero Conditional sentences often carry the key facts in exam texts ('If you..., it...'). Underline the condition and the result separately before matching to the statement — many wrong answers mix up cause and effect.
Example
Text: 'If you store apples near bananas, they ripen faster.' Statement: 'Apples ripen faster near bananas.' → TRUE, because the result matches exactly.
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.If you heat ice, it ____.
Question 2.If I ____ nervous, my hands shake.
Question 3.Plants ____ without sunlight.
Question 4.Water ____ at 0°C.
Question 5.If you don't sleep enough, you ____ tired.
Q1.Write a Zero Conditional sentence about water and heat.
Q2.Write a Zero Conditional sentence about your own habit.
Q3.Complete: 'If plants don't get water, ...'
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Write your own version first, then open the model and compare — what would you change?
Your task
Write 100 words explaining a habit or routine using Zero Conditional sentences. Include at least 4 examples with 'if'.
Compare with the model
I have a few habits that never change. If I wake up before my alarm, I go straight for a run — it clears my head for the day. If I don't have breakfast, I feel tired by ten o'clock, so I always eat something small. In the evening, if I look at my phone too late, I can't fall asleep, so I try to switch it off an hour before bed. If I follow this routine, I generally feel calmer and more focused. Small, predictable habits like these make a surprisingly big difference to how the whole day goes.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
HABIT SURVEY · In pairs, ask and answer about daily habits using Zero Conditional questions ('What do you do if...?'). Find two habits you share and one that's different.
Useful phrases
- • What happens if you...?
- • If I..., I usually...
- • That's interesting — if I..., I...
- • Same here / Different for me.
Role-play & swap
Role-play the scenario once. Then swap roles and change two details so the second run is not a repeat.
- AWhat do you do if you can't sleep?
- B_______________
- AAnd if you're really stressed?
- B_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
First conditional lesson of the unit — build a very solid, error-free base before moving to First Conditional. ~26 min total
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Write 5 true Zero Conditional sentences about science facts.
Ask 3 people 'What do you do if you're stressed?' and note their answers.
Read a short science article and find 2 Zero Conditional sentences.
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Zero Conditional: If + present simple, present simple.
- Used for facts, science and general truths.
- 'If' can often be replaced by 'when' with the same meaning.
- No 'will' in either clause.
- Great for explaining habits, rules and instructions.
Extra Practice
Grammar · Vocabulary · Speaking · Review
Found this lesson tricky? Practise the language from Lesson 31 again.
Finished this lesson?
Mark it complete to save it to your progress.