Download Zero Conditional_narrated

Medical Grammar
Using the Zero Conditional
Zero Conditional
The zero conditional is used to:
 State general truths
 State scientific facts
Be careful using the zero conditional. It should
only be used for situations or things that are
always true or always happen. Make sure you
don’t use the words “will” “may” “should” or
similar words in this conditional.
Zero Conditional
The zero conditional consists of two parts:
 The “main clause”
and
 The “if clause”
Zero Conditional
The “main clause” takes the following form:
Subject + simple present form of the verb
The “if clause” takes the following form:
If + subject + simple present form of the verb
Zero Conditional
You can construct a sentence by either putting
the “if clause” first and the “main clause”
second, or you can reverse them.
Zero Conditional
You can construct a sentence by either putting
the “if clause” first and the “main clause”
second, or you can reverse them.
1. If you exert enough force on a bone, it
breaks.
Zero Conditional
You can construct a sentence by either putting
the “if clause” first and the “main clause”
second, or you can reverse them.
1. If you exert enough force on a bone, it
breaks.
2. A bone breaks if you exert enough force on
it.
Zero Conditional
You can construct a sentence by either putting the “if
clause” first and the “main clause” second, or you
can reverse them.
1. If you exert enough force on a bone, it breaks.
2. A bone will break if you exert enough force on it.
Notice in the first sentence where the comma “,” is
placed, and notice that in the second sentence there
is no comma at all.
Zero Conditional
Examples:
1. If you cool water to 0 degrees C, it freezes.
Zero Conditional
Examples:
1. If you cool water to 0 degrees C, it freezes.
2. If you add acid to water, the pH falls.
Zero Conditional
Examples:
1. If you cool water to 0 degrees C, it freezes.
2. If you add acid to water, the pH falls.
3. If you reduce a fracture improperly, it heals
incorrectly.
Zero Conditional
 Test yourself (1)
I / drink / to much alcohol / I / get / sick
Zero Conditional
 Test yourself (1)
I / drink / to much alcohol / I / get / sick
If I drink to much alcohol, I get sick.
Zero Conditional
 Test yourself (2)
My friend / eat / peanuts / her / throat / swell
Zero Conditional
 Test yourself (2)
My friend / eat / peanuts / her / throat / swell /
shut
If my friend eats peanuts, her throat swells shut.
Zero Conditional
 Test yourself (3)
Fatty tissue / place / in water / it / float
Zero Conditional
 Test yourself (3)
Fatty tissue / place / in water / it / float
If you place fatty tissue in water, it floats.
Zero Conditional
 Test yourself (4)
cut / finger / bleed / your
Zero Conditional
 Test yourself (4)
cut / finger / bleed / your
If you cut your finger, it bleeds.
Zero Conditional
When talking about the body, sometimes we
feel that the zero conditional is correct, but
when talking about a disease condition or a
patient or a physiological process, we often
need to use the First Conditional. The first
conditional is used to talk about thing that
MAY happen, either now or in the future.