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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > The use of ´unless ´.
The use of ´unless ´.
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yunaked
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The use of ´unless ´.
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Hi, collegues! Can you help me? Is ´ unless ´ used only with conditional type 1 or can we also use it with types 2&3? Thanks in advance. Big hugs from Algeria. |
17 Feb 2009
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xcharo
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It ´s used in all three types, but actually you can see it in type 1 conditionals more often
Unless I were on a wheelchair, I could go for a walk with you
Unless I had had to work that day, I would have attended the meeting
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17 Feb 2009
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Ivona
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Dear Xcharo,
I don ´t think that the sentences you provided there are correct. They don ´t sound meaningful to me. I ´ve just checked Swan ´s grammar and all the examples there are in type 1.
UNLESS = except if, if not
"Unless (except if) can be used instead of ´if not ´ when we refer to exceptional circumstances which would change a situation. We do not use ´unless ´ to refer to sth negative that would be the main cause of the situation that we are talking about."
(e.g. My wife will be very upset if i don ´t get back tomorrow. (NOT ´unless i get back tomorrow ´))
the part about the tenses says only this: "In clauses with unless, we usually use present tenses to refer to the future."
(e.g. I ´ll be in all day unless the office phones.) NOT ... will phone.))
I wonder if other grammars mention types 2 and 3 ...
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17 Feb 2009
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Ivona
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Hmmm ... i think that one sounds good ... to me ... It ´s all about the context / meaning ...
Yep, Thomson & Martinet indeed give an example in type 2 (Unless you had a permit you couldn ´t get a job.)
Ahhhh, Silke! Sweet, nice, lovely, gorgeous AND smart! I like it 
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17 Feb 2009
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Zora
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Harry wouldn ´t have got lost unless he had read the map wrong.
Harry wouldn ´t have found the place unless he had talked to Ivona first.
Ivona wouldn ´t have helped Harry unless he had promised first to vote for her in the Miss Popularity contest.
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17 Feb 2009
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Ivona
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Miss Popularity contest is over. I won it!
I wouldn ´t have won it if i had been forsaken by Zora and Silke that night. (NOT unless)
Now i ´m going for a Drama Queen contest. My greatest challenger (and so far the only one) will be Silke. The preparations are well on the way ... 
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17 Feb 2009
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Jayho
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Here ´s a grammar book reference.
My text book for my TESOL grammar unit, Grammar for English Teachers by Martin Parrott, says that unless is used in all types of conditional sentences.
It also says that course materials sometimes teach it to be the same as if…not but that we in fact use it to express a stronger degree of reservation: I won’t come round unless you phone is closer in meaning to I’ll only come round if you phone rather than I won’t come round if you don’t phone.
Interesting … now I know for when my students ask me. |
17 Feb 2009
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Ivona
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Ahhhh, Michael Swan, you have disappointed me. And i had such confidence in you...
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17 Feb 2009
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libertybelle
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And............... unless you are standing on top of a wheel chair, you are always in a wheelchair.
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17 Feb 2009
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Jayho
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Oh well Ivona, Swan loses this time. He ´s an Oxford man and Parrott is a Cambridge man so both are well-connected with the top universities. I don ´t know of any other books Parrott has written but this one is a beauty and a great supplement to Swan because it analyses common grammar errors made by ESL/EFL students. |
17 Feb 2009
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Ivona
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But i won ´t give up on him that easily. We agreed - for better, or for worse!
Unless Parrot does more than what he just did to convince me to get divorced from my Swan, i will stick to the guru.
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17 Feb 2009
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