English Grammar Explanation: Zero conditional

English Grammar Explanation: Zero conditional When we want to talk about a possible or imaginary situation (a condition) and the consequences of it (the result), we can use a structure called 'the zero conditional'. In this structure we're talking about every time a particular condition happens, the result is always the same. In our example, every time someone sends Kate an email, she writes back immediately. So the condition (that's the 'if' part) is that someone emails her and the result (what happens) is that she always writes a reply at once. Listen again: Neil: If someone emails her, she replies straight away. Every time she doesn't answer the phone, her phone machine takes a message for her. Here the condition is that she isn't in her office, and the result is that her machine always takes a message. Listen again: Neil : If she doesn't answer, the machine takes a message. We make the zero conditional with 'If' followed by a present simple verb, Neil: If someone emails her, followed by another verb in the present simple. Neil: she replies straight away. In the zero conditional examples we heard today, we've used 'if' but you can also use 'when' and it has exactly the same meaning. Neil: When someone emails her, she replies straight away. So, to recap then: when we want to talk about a possible situation (where something might or might not happen) and the consequences of it (what will always happen as a result), we use 'the zero conditional'. And we make it with 'If' or 'When' followed by the present simple, followed by another present simple verb.