[Grammar] If I don’t sleep at least eight hours I feel tired all day.

[kadioguy]

Sometimes the present simple is used in both the if- and the main clauses, indicating that what is said in the main proposition follows from what is stated in the if-clause. In this kind of sentences,often called zero conditional sentences, if means the same as when/whenever. Actually, so-called zero conditional sentences are not conditional sentences at all, since the if-clause does not pose a real condition that must exist for something else to take place:

If I don’t sleep at least eight hours I feel tired all day.

http://www.beniculturali.unipd.it/e... - Lezione 23 ottobre 2013 - Conditionals.pdf
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I don't understand the blue part. Why are zero conditional sentences not conditional sentences at all?

"since the if-clause does not pose a real condition that must exist for something else to take place"

Why is "If I don’t sleep at least eight hours" in the example sentence not a real condition? I think it is a condition, isn't it?

 

[jutfrank]

I don't know what the writer means by saying "the if-clause does not pose a real condition that must exist for something to take place". There are three problems I have with this sentence:

1) Of course I don't sleep for at least hours eight hours is a condition here. It is a condition under which I feel tired is true.

2) Concerning the use of "that must exist": It is not necessary for not sleeping at least hours to take place for feeling tired all day to be true. In other words, feeling tired all day does not entail not sleeping for at least eight hours. However, this does not mean that the sentence is not conditional.

3) Perhaps by using the word 'real' condition, the writer is trying to highlight a contrast with the kind of 'truth condition' that is typical of zero conditionals. However, second conditionals do not pose real conditions either for that matter, and I doubt that the writer would deny that they are conditionals.

I think you should just ignore this particular sentence.

 

[kadioguy]

1.
I am grateful for your help. If you don't mind, I would like to modify it slightly.

1) Of course I don't sleep for at least eight hours is a condition here. It is a condition under which I feel tired is true.

2) Concerning the use of "that must exist": It is not necessary for not sleeping at least eight hours to take place for feeling tired all day to be true. In other words, feeling tired all day does not entail not sleeping for at least eight hours. However, this does not mean that the sentence is not conditional.

2.
"It is not necessary for not sleeping at least eight hours to take place for feeling tired all day to be true."

This sentence is a little difficult for me to understand. Can I think it as the following?

For not sleeping at least eight hours to take place for feeling tired all day to be true is not necessary.

3.

I think you should just ignore this particular sentence.

I'll take your advice. :up:

 

[jutfrank]

1) Thanks for the correction.

2) Yes, it is a difficult sentence. I meant that there are several reasons why one might feel tired all day. Not sleeping well is just one reason. It is not necessary to sleep few hours in order to feel tired all day.