31.08.

2016

Conditionals:otherexpressions(unless,should,aslongas)EnglishGrammarTodayCambridgeDictionary

Conditionals:otherexpressions(unless,
should,aslongas)
fromEnglishGrammarToday
Unless
Conditionalclausescanbeginwithunless.Unlessmeanssomethingsimilartoifnotor
exceptif.
Theverbformsintheexamplesaresimilartosentenceswithif:weusethepresentsimplein
theunlessclauseandshall,should,will,would,can,could,mayormightinthemainclause:
UnlessIphoneyou,youcanassumethetrainsontime.(IfIdonotphoneyou/exceptifI
phoneyou,youcanassumethetrainisontime.)
Wellhavetocanceltheshowunlesswesellmoreticketsatthelastminute.(Wellhave
tocanceltheshowifwedonotsellmoretickets/exceptifwesellmoreticketsatthelast
minute.)

Warning:
Wedontuseunlessforimpossibleconditions:
Ifthegovernmenthadnotraisedfoodprices,therewouldnothavebeenso
manyprotests.
Not:Unlessthegovernmenthadraisedfoodprices

Warning:
Wedontuseunlessandiftogether:
Wellgotothecoasttomorrowunlessitrains.
Not:Wellgotothecoasttomorrowunlessifitrains.
Seealso:
Unless
Ifso,ifnot

Shouldyou(Shouldwithinversion)
Informalsituations,wecanuseshould+subject(s)+verb(v)insteadofif:
Shouldyouwishtocancelyourorder,pleasecontactourcustomerservicedepartment
on023176658932.(orIfyoushouldwishtocancelyourorder)
Shouldyourchildbecomeanxiousornervousaboutanyactivity,itisagoodideato
informtheteamleader.(orIfyourchildshouldbecome)
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Conditionals:otherexpressions(unless,should,aslongas)EnglishGrammarTodayCambridgeDictionary

Hadyou(Hadwithinversion)
Informalsituations,wecanusehad+subject+verbinsteadofifinthirdconditional
sentences:
HadIknownyouwerewaitingoutside,Iwouldhaveinvitedyoutocomein.(IfIhad
knownyouwerewaitingoutside)
HadMargaretrealisedshewouldbetravellingalone,shewouldneverhaveagreedto
go.

If+wereto
Informalsituations,wecanuseif+weretowhenwetalkaboutthingsthatmighthappenbut
whichwethinkareunlikely:
IfthePrimeMinisterweretoresign,therewouldhavetobeageneralelectionwithin30
days.
Inevenmoreformalstyles,weusewere+subjectverbinversion+toinfinitive:
[V]

[S]

[toINF]

Werewetogiveupthefightnow,itwouldmeantheendofdemocracyinourcountry.(If
wegaveupthefightnow)
[V]

[S]

[toINF]

Weretheeconomytoslowdowntooquickly,therewouldbemajorproblems.(Ifthe
economysloweddowntooquickly)

Aslongas,solongas,providing,etc.
Sometimesweneedtoimposespecificconditionsorsetlimitsonasituation.Inthesecases,
conditionalclausescanbeginwithphrasessuchasaslongas,solongas,onlyif,on
conditionthat,providing(that),provided(that).
Aslongasismorecommoninspeakingsolongasandonconditionthataremoreformal
andmorecommoninwriting:
[toagroupofchildren]
Youcanplayinthelivingroomaslongasyoudontmakeamess.
Solongasatigerstandsstill,itisinvisibleinthejungle.
Thebanklentthecompany100,000poundsonconditionthattheyrepaidthemoney
withinsixmonths.
Providing(that)ismorecommoninspeakingprovided(that)ismoreformalandmore
commoninwrittenlanguage:

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Conditionals:otherexpressions(unless,should,aslongas)EnglishGrammarTodayCambridgeDictionary

[talkingaboutrailtravelintheUK]
Youcangetaseniorcitizensreductionprovidingyouvegotarailcard.
Theymaydowhatevertheylikeprovidedthatitiswithinthelaw.
Seealso:
Aslongasandsolongas

Orandotherwise
Weoftenuseorandotherwisewithconditionalmeanings:
Youvegottostartstudying,oryoullfailallthoseexams.(Ifyoudontstartstudying,you
willfailtheexams.)
[talkingaboutsendingapackagebymail]
Wedbettersenditexpress,otherwiseitlltakedays.(Ifwedonotsenditexpress,itwill
takedays.)

Supposing
Supposingmaybeusedwithaconditionalmeaning.Itcanbeusedinfirst,secondorthird
conditionalsentences.Thespeakerinvitesthelistenertoimagineasituation:
SupposingIdontarrivetillaftermidnight,willtheguesthousestillbeopen?(ImagineifI
dontarrivetillaftermidnight)
Supposingyoulostyourpassport,youdhavetogototheembassy,wouldntyou?
Supposinghehadntrecognisedushemightneverhavespokentous.
Seealso:
Incase(of)
Wish
Ifonly
Suppose,supposingandwhatif

(Conditionals:otherexpressions(unless,should,aslongas)fromEnglishGrammarTodayCambridgeUniversity
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