Unless / If….not

November 11, 2020

A condition is something that can only happen if something occurs. A conditional sentence is a type of sentence that indicates a condition. It is also known as conditional clause or if clause. It contains an Independent clause and Dependent clause. The action in the main clause can take place if a certain condition is fulfilled in the sentence.

Unless / If….not

Unless and If…not are negative conditionals
Unless is an alternative subordinate conjunction
Unless is used to indicate real conditional situation
Unless means ‘except if’
Unless is used to make an exception to something
Unless needs a main clause to complete the meaningful sentence
Unless/If, If…not reveal the meaning- ‘if something does not happen or happens, something will truly happen or not happen as a result’
If…not and Unless are same in meaning
If clauses are either Negative or Affirmative
Both are used as alternative to each other
Both are used with Present and Past Tenses effectively
Both are used either at the beginning or middle of the sentence

Examples: Negative If-clauses

If it doesn’t rain tonight, the match will start at 9 o’clock tomorrow.
Unless it rains tonight, the match will start at 9 o’clock tomorrow.

If you don’t know the way, don’t dare to walk ahead.
Unless you know the way, don’t dare to walk ahead.

Karen will catch a cold, if she doesn’t wear a sweater.
Karen will catch a cold unless she wears a sweater.

You’ll be fail, if you do not study hard.
You’ll be fail unless you study hard.

If Daniel wasn’t very ill, he would attend the lecture.
Unless Daniel was very ill, he would attend the lecture.

Ronald would be here right now, if his train wasn’t late.
Ronald would be here right now unless his train was late.

I can’t help Smith, if he doesn’t tell me a problem.
I can’t help Smith unless he tells me a problem.

If the bus doesn’t come now, I’m going to cancel my plan.
Unless the bus comes now, I’m going to cancel my plan.

You’ll be seriously ill, if you do not stop smoking.
You’ll be seriously ill unless you stop smoking.

Emily won’t tell her plan, if you don’t help her.
Emily won’t tell her plan unless you help her.

Brian will not leave the class, if he doesn’t finish to write.
Brian will not leave the class unless he finishes to write.

Examples: Affirmative If-clauses

If you run fast, you will win the race.
Unless you run fast, you will not win the race.

Smith will go on tour, if his father permits him.
Smith will not go on tour unless his father permits him.

If John attended the seminar, he would get information about it.
Unless John attended the seminar, he would not get information about it.

If Olivia had studied, she would have passed the exam.
Unless Olivia had studied, she would not have passed the exam.

We would have stayed at our farm house, if it had rained heavily.
We would not have stayed at our farm house unless it had rained heavily.

Examples: Negative If-clauses

If you had not done that, it would have been better.
Unless you had done that, it would have been better.
If she doesn’t save money, she can’t buy that piano on her birthday.
She can’t buy that piano on her birthday, unless she saves money.
If John doesn’t work out regularly, he will not become slim and trim.
Unless John works out regularly, he will not become slim and trim.
If I had not been out of station, I would have definitely attended your function.
Unless I had been out of station, I would have definitely attended your function.
If she was not ill, she would go to college.
Unless she was ill, she would go to college.
If I am not hungry, I don’t eat anything.
I don’t eat anything unless I am hungry.
I won’t help you, if you don’t tell me the truth.
Unless you tell me the truth, I won’t help you.
We will not go there, if they don’t invite us for the party.
We will not go there, unless they invite us for the party.
If you are not willing to do this course, you will not be forced to go for the same.
Unless you are willing to do this course, you will not be forced to go for the same.
If I were not compelled by the circumstances, I would surely do that.
Unless I were compelled by the circumstances, I would surely do that.
If she had not called me, I would not have come here.
Unless she had called me, I would not have come here.
If you were not there, I would be so frightened.
I would be so frightened, unless you were there.
If you don’t get motivated, you will not do anything in life.
Unless you get motivated, you will not do anything in life.
If you are not busy right now, I would call you.
Unless you are busy right now, I will call you.
If you had taken care of your health then, you would have been healthier.
Unless you had taken care of your health then, you would have been healthier.
If you don’t listen to me, you will regret.
Unless you listen to me, you will regret.
If you were not alert at that time, it would be a big disaster.
It would be a big disaster, unless you were alert at that time.
If you had not educational qualification, you would not get a job.
Unless you had educational qualification, you would not get a job.
If there were no any emergency, I would not go at all.
Unless there was any emergency, I would not go at all.
If you had not prepared well, you would have failed the exam.
Unless you had prepared well, you would have failed the exam.
If she had not encouraged you, you could not have achieved this goal.
Unless she had encouraged you, you could not have achieved this goal.
If David weren’t shy, he would have taken Clara on the date.
He would have taken Clara on the date, unless David was shy.
If you don’t know anything, you had better keep mum.
Unless you know anything, you had better keep mum.
Your health will be badly affected, if you don’t give up alcoholism.
Your health will be badly affected, unless you give up alcoholism.
She will not come with you, if you can’t make her trust you.
She will not come with you, unless you make her trust you.
If you don’t come here right now, I will go home.
Unless you come here right now, I will go home.
If she doesn’t get back timely, call her up.
Call her back, unless she gets back timely.
If he hadn’t cheated on her, she could have stayed with him forever.
She could have stayed with him forever, unless he had cheated on her.
I would not have done that, if I had not any need to do so.
I would not have done that, unless I had any need to do so.
India will not win the match, if the players do not play well.
Unless the players do not play well, India will not win the match.