🔗 Lesson 14: Zero & First Conditional

Real Situations & Their Results

🔵 B1 Level - Conditionals Unit Begins!

🎯 Cause and Effect

Everything has a consequence! Let's talk about what happens when...

💬 Quick Discussion

Complete these sentences:

  • If I don't sleep enough, I...
  • If it rains tomorrow, I will...
  • If you heat water to 100°C, it...
  • If I study hard, I will...

🔗 Match the Cause and Effect!

Click on causes and effects to match them!

If you don't water plants...
...they die
If I save money every month...
...I will buy a car
If you press this button...
...the machine starts

💭 What Do You Notice?

Discuss with your teacher:

What's the difference between these two types of sentences?

  • "If you heat ice, it melts." (always true)
  • "If it rains tomorrow, I will stay home." (possible future)

Talk About Cause & Effect (3 minutes)

Tell your teacher about:

  • Something that always happens when...
  • Something you will do if...
  • What happens if you don't...
3:00

🔬 Zero Conditional: General Truths

Use when something is ALWAYS true - facts, scientific truths, habits

Zero Conditional Structure

IF CLAUSE
If + present simple
RESULT
present simple

If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.

📚 Examples - Click to See Explanation!

Scientific Facts & Natural Laws

"If you freeze water, it turns into ice."
✓ This is ALWAYS true. It's a scientific fact. (Both verbs in present simple)
"If you mix blue and yellow, you get green."
✓ Always happens - it's a fact about colors.

General Habits & Routines

"If I'm tired, I go to bed early."
✓ This is my regular habit - what I generally do.
"If she eats too much sugar, she gets a headache."
✓ This happens regularly - it's her pattern.

Instructions & Automatic Results

"If you press this button, the door opens."
✓ Automatic result - happens every time you press it.
"If you don't water plants, they die."
✓ General truth - this is what happens to all plants.

💡 Key Point

When to use Zero Conditional:

  • ✅ Things that are ALWAYS true
  • ✅ Scientific facts
  • ✅ General habits
  • ✅ Automatic results
  • ❌ NOT for specific future events

🗣️ Practice Speaking

Talk About General Truths (3 minutes)

Make sentences using the zero conditional:

  • Scientific facts you know
  • What happens when you don't...
  • Your habits: "If I... I..."
  • How machines work
3:00

🔮 First Conditional: Real Future Possibilities

Use when talking about POSSIBLE future situations and their likely results

First Conditional Structure

IF CLAUSE
If + present simple
RESULT
will + base verb

If it rains tomorrow, I will stay home.

📚 Examples - Click to See Explanation!

Future Plans & Decisions

"If I save enough money, I will buy a car."
✓ Possible future - IF this happens, THEN this will happen. (Present simple + will)
"If she passes the exam, she will be very happy."
✓ Real possibility in the future - we think it might happen.

Warnings & Consequences

"If you don't study, you will fail the test."
✓ Warning about future consequence.
"If we leave now, we won't be late."
✓ Future consequence of an action now.

Promises & Offers

"If you help me today, I will help you tomorrow."
✓ Promise - conditional on something happening first.
"If you need anything, I will be here."
✓ Offer - I'm available if you need me.

💡 Key Point

When to use First Conditional:

  • ✅ Real possibility in the future
  • ✅ We think it might happen
  • ✅ Plans that depend on something
  • ✅ Warnings about consequences
  • ❌ NOT for general truths (use zero)
  • ❌ NOT for impossible/imaginary (use second - next lesson!)

⚠️ Important Note!

Common Mistake:

If it will rain, I will stay home. (WRONG!)

If it rains, I will stay home. (CORRECT!)

Remember: After "if", use PRESENT SIMPLE (not "will")!
The "will" only goes in the RESULT clause.

🗣️ Practice Speaking

Talk About Future Plans (3 minutes)

Make sentences using the first conditional:

  • Your plans for this weekend
  • What will happen if you study English every day
  • Warnings: "If you don't... you will..."
  • Promises: "If you... I will..."
3:00

⚖️ Zero vs First Conditional

📊 Comparison Table

Feature Zero Conditional First Conditional
Structure If + present, present If + present, will + verb
Use General truths, always true Real future possibilities
Time Any time, all the time Future
Certainty 100% - always happens Possible - might happen
Example "If you heat ice, it melts." "If it rains, I will stay home."

🎯 Quick Check - Which Conditional?

1. "If you water to 100°C, it boils."

a) heat (zero conditional - general truth)
b) will heat (first conditional)

2. "If it tomorrow, we the picnic."

a) rains, cancel (zero)
b) rains, will cancel (first)

3. "If I tired, I to bed early." (my regular habit)

a) am, go (zero - habit)
b) am, will go (first)

4. "If she the job, she very happy."

a) gets, is (zero)
b) gets, will be (first - future)

5. "If you plants, they die." (general truth)

a) don't water (zero)
b) won't water

6. "If I enough money, I a new laptop." (future plan)

a) save, buy (zero)
b) save, will buy (first)

🔄 Can You Switch Them?

Compare these pairs. What's the difference in meaning?

Zero: "If I eat too much, I feel sick." (my regular pattern)

First: "If I eat too much today, I will feel sick." (specific future)

Zero: "If you press this button, the machine stops." (what always happens)

First: "If you press this button, the machine will stop." (what will happen this time)

⛓️ Chain Reactions

One thing leads to another! Create cause-and-effect chains!

📌 Example Chain

🎮 Chain Starters - Create Your Own!

Click a starter and create a chain reaction with your teacher!

🌧️

If it rains this weekend...

💰

If I save money...

📚

If I study hard...

😴

If I don't sleep enough...

🏃

If I exercise every day...

📱

If I lose my phone...

🎲 Domino Effect Game

How Far Can You Go? (4 minutes)

Choose any starter above and create the LONGEST chain you can!

Rules:

  • Each consequence becomes the next "if" clause
  • Keep going until you can't think of more!
  • Be creative and funny!
4:00

🎯 Your Life & Decisions

💼 Career & Future

Complete these sentences about YOUR life:

  • If I learn English well, I will...
  • If I work hard this year, I will...
  • If I don't find a job, I will...
  • If I save money, I will...

❤️ Relationships & Social Life

Talk about relationships:

  • If my friend needs help, I...
  • If I have free time this weekend, I will...
  • If someone is rude to me, I...
  • If I meet new people, I will...

💪 Health & Habits

Your habits and health:

  • If I eat too much sugar, I... (your pattern)
  • If I exercise regularly, I will... (future plan)
  • If I don't sleep enough, I... (what happens)
  • If I drink coffee at night, I... (your habit)

🎲 Random Life Scenarios

Click for a random scenario to discuss!

Click the button to get a scenario!

📝 Make Promises!

Personal Commitments (3 minutes)

Make promises to yourself and tell your teacher:

  • If I... this week, I will...
  • If I don't... by next month, I will...
  • If I achieve... I will reward myself by...
3:00

📝 Lesson Review

🔑 Key Points Summary

Conditional Structure Use Example
Zero If + present, present General truths, always true "If you heat ice, it melts."
First If + present, will + verb Real future possibilities "If it rains, I will stay home."

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ WRONG: "If it will rain, I will stay home."

✅ RIGHT: "If it rains, I will stay home." (present simple after "if"!)


❌ WRONG: "If you heat water, it will boil." (for general truth)

✅ RIGHT: "If you heat water, it boils." (zero conditional for facts)


❌ WRONG: "If I will save money, I will buy a car."

✅ RIGHT: "If I save money, I will buy a car." (no "will" after "if"!)

💡 Quick Decision Guide

Which conditional should I use?

Ask yourself:

  • Is it ALWAYS true? (scientific fact, habit) → Zero Conditional
  • Is it a POSSIBLE future event? → First Conditional

🏆 Final Speaking Challenge

Life Philosophy Speech (3 minutes)

Talk about your beliefs and plans using BOTH conditionals:

  • Zero: General life truths you believe
  • First: Your plans and goals for the future

Example start: "I believe that if you work hard, you succeed. That's why if I continue studying English, I will..."

3:00

📖 Homework Preview

Check your student review document for:

  • Complete grammar summary
  • Practice exercises
  • Speaking task: Record your life plans
  • Writing task: Chain reaction story

🎉 Lesson 14 Complete!

Next lesson: Lesson 15 - Second Conditional

You'll learn to talk about imaginary and hypothetical situations!