First Conditionals are a type of factual conditional. There is one other type of factual conditional: Zero Conditionals. First Conditionals are sometimes called "Real Conditionals" because they talk about real situations and conditions and what might happen. Zero Conditionals and First Conditionals are different because a Zero Conditional is always true, like a rule or law. The result of a Zero Conditional always follows. However, in a First Conditional sentence you cannot be sure that the situation will happen. Look at this example:

If it rains, I will not go to the beach.

Zero Conditionals are one of the five types of conditional sentence in English. They are used to talk about things that are always true. You use this pattern when the result of a condition or situation is 100% sure. They can talk about laws of science, facts and something that always happens.

How to make a zero conditional

Zero conditionals are made like this:

#1 from coffee runThere are five types of conditionals in English. This page shows the five patterns next to each other so you can compare them. The five types are listed below:

1. Zero conditionals—a result that always happens;
2. First conditionals—a result of a possible situation;
3. Second conditionals—a result of an impossible or unlikey situation;
4. Third conditionals—a past result of something that did not happen;
5. Mixed conditionals—a present result of something that did not happen.

The Patterns

This is a simple summary of the five main patterns, and their most common forms: