CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
INTRODUCTION
Las oraciones condicionales están formadas por dos partes:
1. La if-clause (oración condicional)
2. La main clause (oración principal)
Se puede comenzar la oración con la main-clause o por la if-clause. Cuando la oración comienza con IF,
WHEN O UNLESS ponemos una coma entre la if-clause y la main clause. Pero si la oración comienza por la
main clause, no se separan las dos partes de la oración por una coma.
If the temperatura drops to 0ºC, water turns into ice.
Water turns into ice if the temperature drops to 0ºC. (El agua se congela si la temperature baja a
0ºC.)
Existen cuatro tipos de oraciones condicionales.
ZERO CONDITIONAL
IF-CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE
Present Simple Present Simple
Utilizamos la Zero Conditional para expresar hechos que siempre ocurren de la forma indicada por la ifclause, como por
ejemplo verdades generales o leyes naturales.
If you heat water, it boils. (Si calientas agua, hierve.)
People wear lighter clothes when it is hot. (La gente lleva ropa más ligera cuando hace calor.)
El tiempo verbal utilizado en estas oraciones es el Present Simple tanto para la if-clause y como para la main clause.
If he comes home early, he sits in the garden. (Si viene a casa pronto, se sienta en el jardín.)
Podemos utilizar WHEN en lugar de IF.
When / If I am tired, I get black circles under my eyes. (Cuando / Si estoy cansado, tengo ojeras.)
1. Use the verbs in brackets and form zero conditional sentences.
Example
If you ……………….. (to mix) red and green, you……………………….. (to get) brown.
If you……………………… (to drop) a glass on the floor………………………….(to drop), it (to break).
If babies ………………………………… (to be) hungry, they…………………………………… (to cry).
When you ………………………..(to add) sugar, the sauce ……………………………. (to taste) sweet.
Water……………………….. (to boil) if you ……………………………. (to heat) it to 100 °C.
Plants……………………….. (to die) if they ………………………………..(not/to get) enough water.
If you …………………. (to put) water in the freezer, it ……………………….(to become) ice.
When the sun ………………………………(to rise), the street lights…………………………… (to go out).
When you ……………………..(to heat) ice, it …………………………… (to melt).
He always………………………… (to take) his umbrella when it ……………………….(to rain).
2. Form Zero Conditional sentences.
1) Jack / always / bring / flowers / when / he / come / to visit us.
____Jack always brings flowers when he comes to visit us.__________________________________
2) if / you / mix / red and blue / you / get / purple
_________________________________________________________________________________
3) glass / break / when / you / heat / it ?
_________________________________________________________________________________
4) if / you / not eat / you / get / thin
_________________________________________________________________________________
5) when / the weather / be / nice / I / walk / to work
_________________________________________________________________________________
6) your brother / help / you / with your homework / when / he / have / time ?
_________________________________________________________________________________
7) I / usually / read / a good book / when / I / not be / busy
_________________________________________________________________________________
8) if / plants / not get / enough water / they / die
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. Match and make sentences.
1) wear a coat a) get wet
2) go to bed late b) have an accident
3) touch that hot pan c) not be cold
4) take an aspirin d) be tired tomorrow
5) not take an umbrella with you e) feel better
6) not hurry f) burn yourself
7) drive too fast g) lose it
8) leave your bag here h) be late
1) If you _wear a coat, you aren’t cold__________________________.
2) If you ____________________________________________________________________________
3) If you ____________________________________________________________________________
4) If you ____________________________________________________________________________
5) If you ____________________________________________________________________________
6) If you ____________________________________________________________________________
7) If you ____________________________________________________________________________
8) If you ____________________________________________________________________________
4. Match and write Zero Conditional sentences.
1) you mix blue and yellow a) it rains
2) clouds meet cold air b) you feel thirsty
3) there is no gravity c) water freezes
4) you do not eat d) objects do not fall
5) a cat falls from a height e) it lands on its feet
6) you do not sleep well f) you get green
7) it is hot g) you lose weight
8) the temperature falls below 0ºC h) you feel tired
1) When you mix blue and yellow, you get green.___________________________________________
2) _________________________________________________________________________________
3) _________________________________________________________________________________
4) _________________________________________________________________________________
5) _________________________________________________________________________________
6) _________________________________________________________________________________
7) _________________________________________________________________________________
8) _________________________________________________________________________________
5. Complete the sentences.
1) If Liam _____doesn’t shave_______ (not/shave) off his beard, Sharon won’t go out with him.
2) Will you take me with you if you _______________________________ (go) to the beach?
3) If Kelly invites me to the party, I _______________________________ (go).
4) The man will hurt himself if he _______________________________ (jump) from that height.
5) If you clear up this mess now, I ______________________________ (not/tell) Mum.
6) ____________________________________ (you/look) after my dog if I go away on holiday?
7) If they ______________________________ (not/come) out of the sun, they will get burnt!
8) Rosie will get into trouble is she _______________________________ (not/go) home soon.
9) If Peter __________________________________ (not/like) the sweater, will Mrs Hardy give it to
Tom?
10) He ______________________________ (stay) for lunch if she asks him.
6. Form Zero Conditional sentences.
1) Jack / always / bring / flowers / when / he / come / to visit us.
____Jack always brings flowers when he comes to visit us.__________________________________
2) if / you / mix / red and blue / you / get / purple
_________________________________________________________________________________
3) glass / break / when / you / heat / it ?
_________________________________________________________________________________
4) if / you / not eat / you / get / thin
_________________________________________________________________________________
5) when / the weather / be / nice / I / walk / to work
_________________________________________________________________________________
6) your brother / help / you / with your homework / when / he / have / time ?
_________________________________________________________________________________
7) I / usually / read / a good book / when / I / not be / busy
_________________________________________________________________________________
8) if / plants / not get / enough water / they / die
_________________________________________________________________________________