Examples of zero conditional sentences and how to use them.
ZERO CONDITIONAL SENTENCES – There are four types of conditional sentences, and here are some examples of this particular type.
A conditional sentence contains a hypothetical situation and its possible consequence. Hence, it always comes with a subordinate clause that expresses a condition and a main clause indicating the outcome of this condition. There are four main types of conditional sentences, and in this article, we’ll be looking deeper into the first type – the zero conditional sentence.

What is zero conditional? This conditional sentence is used for universal truths or general facts. This is the simplest type that shows a cause-and-effect relationship where the result is certain. It can’t be used to refer to a particular time, like the future or the past.
This is used to express:
- general habits
- permanent truths/facts
Zero Conditional formulas with examples:
- If + present simple, present simple
Examples:
- If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.
- If you drop ice in the sun, it melts.
- If people don’t eat, they get hungry.
- If it rains, the ground gets wet.
- If you mix red and blue, you get purple.
- If plants don’t get enough sunlight, they die.
- If students study hard, they pass exams.
- If cats see a mouse, they chase it.
- If you press the power button, the computer starts.
- If plants don’t get sunlight, they die.
- Present simple if + present simple
Examples:
- Water boils if you heat it to 100°C.
- Ice melts if the sun shines on it.
- Plants die if they don’t get water.
- You feel tired if you don’t sleep well.
- Children cry if they are hungry.
- The ground gets wet if it rains.
- People get sick if they eat spoiled food.
- Dogs bark if they see strangers.
- Metal expands if you heat it.
- Students learn better if they practice every day.