UNLESS AND IF

Teacher: JORGE GUERRA

MEANING OF IF AND UNLESS

If
If means on (the) condition that, provided (that),
providing (that), presuming (that), supposing (that),
assuming (that), as long as...
Example:
 If I am free this evening, I will watch the match.
MEANING OF IF AND UNLESS
Unless
Unless means except if.
Example:
 You will feel cold unless you wear a warm
jacket.
IF AND UNLESS IN CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

Both if and unless are used to introduce

conditional sentences:
CONDITIONAL SENTENCE TYPE 1:

If we don't hurry, we will be late for the

show.

Unless we hurry, we will be late for the

show.
CONDITIONAL SENTENCE TYPE 2

If he had permission from his parents, he

would travel alone.

Unless he had permission from his

parents, he wouldn't travel alone.
CONDITIONAL SENTENCE TYPE 3
If you hadn't suggested it, I wouldn't have
phoned him.

Unless you had suggested it, I wouldn't

have phoned him.
Often when we are talking about present
situations, we use unless instead of
if...not.

Unless means except if or simply it

means if...not.
Both of these examples have the same meaning
and refer to the present time.
"You can't go on vacation unless you save
some money."
"If you don't save some money, you can't go on
vacation.“

"You will feel cold if you don't wear a coat."

"You will feel cold unless you wear a coat."
Unless is good to use when it highlights an
exception to what is generally true. In this
example I only have one reason why I may be
late: traffic (vehicles on the road):

"I'll arrive at 10am unless there is traffic.“

"I'll arrive at 10am if there isn't traffic."

This next example shows us that sometimes the
context can change and unless is not exactly
interchangeable with if...not.

"I'll be annoyed if I do not arrive at 10am." - Being

late will annoy me.

"I'll be annoyed unless I arrive at 10am." - The only

thing that can stop me from being annoyed is
arriving at 10am.