Unless
Study th is example situation:
The club is for members only.
You can,t go in unless you are a member.
This means:
You can,t go in except 1[you are a member.
You can go in only if you are a member.
Unless= except if.
Some more examples of unless:
0 l,ll see you tomorrow unless I have to work Late. (=except if I have to work late)
0 There are no buses to the beach. Unless you have a car, ifs difficult to get there.
(=except if you have a car)
C 'Shall I tell Liz what happenedt 'Not unless she asks you., (=only if she asks you)
C Sally hates to complain. She wouldn't complain about something unless it was really bad.
(= except if it was really bad)
0 We can take a taxi to the restaurant- unless you'd prefer to walk. (=except if you,d prefer
to walk)
Instead of unless it is often possible to say if ... not:
0 Unless we Leave now, we,ll be late. or If we don't Leave now, we, ll ...
As long as I provided I providing
as long as or so Long as } , , ,
prov1·de d (th at) or prov1.d.mg (th at) All t hese expressions mean 'if or on condition that .
For example:
0 You can borrow my car { as Long
L
as } .
you prom1se not to d nve
.
too f ast.
so ong as
(=you can borrow my car, but you must promise not to drive too fast- th is is a condition)
. by car .IS convenient
0 Trave ll 1ng . { provided
.d.
(that) } h h k
( h ) you ave somew ere to par .
prov1 mg t at
(=but on ly if you have somewhere to park)
0 Providing (that) } h
Provided (that)
. l d , · d h' h h l
t e room 1s c ean, I on t mm w 1c ote we stay at.
(=the room must be clean - otherwise I don't mind)
Unless I as Long as etc. for the future
When you are talking about the future, do not use will after unless I as Long as I so Long as I
provided I providing. Use a present tense (see Unit 25):
0 I'm not going out unless it stops raining. (not unless it wi ll stop)
0 Providing the weather is good, we're going to have a picnic tomorrow.
(not providing the weather will be good)
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ni_ts__
Unit
Exercises ' 115
• . , Write a new sentence with the same meaning. Use unless in your sentence.
1 You must try a bit harder or you won't pass the exam .
..You .. w9.n.>.t- _trle .. .. you .0:-- bLt. no.xcler._, . ..... .. ....... . ...
2 Listen carefully or you won't know what to do.
You won't know what to do ....... ..... .......
3 She must apologise to me or I' ll never speak to her again.
4 You have to speak very slowly or he won 't be able to understand you.
5 Business must improve soon or the company will have to close.
Write sentences with unless.
1 The club isn't open to everyone. You 're allowed in only if you're a member.
... .. ... ...4ub ... m..
... !J0..0..l.re ..·.. .............. .... _......... .
2 I don't want to go to the party alone. I'm going only if you go too.
I'm not going .... .. . ..... ... ........... ... .... . . .... . . .... .... ...... .. .. ....................... ..
3 Don 't worry about the dog. lt will attack you only if you move suddenly.
The dog .... .................. .... ....................... .... .. ........................... ...................................... ................................ ..................
4 Ben isn't very talkative. He'll speak to you on ly if you ask him something.
Ben ... ... .......... .... ................ . ......... ... .. ............... ................... .............. ..
5 Today is a public holiday. The doctor will see you only if it's an emergency.
The doctor . . . ...... ... ......... .... .... . .. .................................
- Which is correct?
1 You can borrow my car unless I as long as you promise not to drive too fast .
(as long as is correct)
2 I'm playing tennis tomorrow unless I providing it rains.
3 I'm playing tennis tomorrow unless I provid ing it doesn't ra in .
4 I don't mind if you come home late unless I as long as you come in quietly.
5 I'm going now unless I provided you want me to stay.
6 I don't watch TV unless I as long as I've got nothing else to do.
7 Children are allowed to use the swimming pool unless I provided they are w ith an adult.
8 Unless I Provided they are with an adult, children are not allowed to use the swimm ing pool.
9 We can sit here in the corner unless I as long as you'd rather sit over there by the window.
10 A: Our holiday cost a lot of money.
B: Did it? Well, that doesn't matter unless I as long as you enjoyed yourselves.
Use your own ideas to complete these sentences.
1 We'll be late unless ... get-.. Ov.... . ... ..... ........ ...... ........... ....... .. ........ ........ ......... . .
2 I like hot weather as long as ......... .... ... ....... ... . . . . . ............. .... . ...... ... ................ ............................... .
3 lt takes about 20 minutes to drive to the airport provided .. ............ ....... ......... . .................. .. .......................
4 I don't mind walking home as long as .. . .... .......... ........... .. ........ . .......... .. . .. .......... .. .............. ..
5 I like to walk to work in the morn ing unless .. ........... ........ ... ...... . ......................... ................................................................... .
6 We ca n meet tomorrow unless .............. .
7 I can lend you the money providing ........................................................................................................................................ .
8 You won't achieve anything unless .. ... ......... . ............ ... .......... ........ ..... .................................... .
-+ Additional exercise 32 (page 321) 231
