Hi, in today’s lesson we are going to be learning about the conjunction unless.
Keep watching until the end as there will be a short quiz to see how much you’ve learned.
So, let’s jump right in.
Let’s look at a sentence with unless.
The gym is for members only.
You can’t go in UNLESS you are a member.
This means that you can’t go in except if you are a member.
Or, you can go in only if you are a member.
So, unless means EXCEPT IF
Notice the clause which follows unless is a subordinate clause,
in other words it needs a main clause to make a complete sentence.
and here the main clause, you can’t go, comes first so we don’t need a comma.
Let’s look at some example sentences.
I’ll see you this afternoon unless I have to work.
This means you will see your friend except if you have to work.
Notice the verb that follows unless has to be positive.
It cannot be followed by a negative verb.
So, you couldn’t say:
I’ll see you this afternoon unless I haven’t got to work.
Instead, you would just use if.
So, you'd say:
I’ll see you this afternoon IF I haven’t got to work.
So, remember after unless we use a positive verb.
Let’s look at some more example sentences.
Unless it rains, we'll go for a picnic by the river tomorrow.
Which means we’ll go for a picnic by the river tomorrow if it doesn’t rain.
Here the subordinate clause, unless it rains, comes before the main clause
so here we DO need a comma.
or
“Shall I tell Rebecca what happened?” “Not unless she asks you.”
This means ONLY IF she asks you.
Or
Rachel is not one to moan.
She wouldn’t complain about something unless it was really bad.
This means she wouldn’t complain except if it was really bad.
Or
We can walk to the restaurant, unless you would prefer to drive.
This means we can walk to the restaurant except if you’d prefer to drive.
Unless ALSO can’t be used with a question.
So, you can’t say,
Unless do you like cheese? It can’t be done!
Unless is a conditional word (like if), so we don’t use will or would in the subordinate clause.
So you would say:
Unless I hear from you, I’ll see you at two o’clock.
And not, unless I’ll hear from you, I’ll see you at two o’clock.
Unless can mean if not:
For example:
We could eat at Food for Friends unless they’re closed on a Monday.
Which means we could eat at Food for Friends if they’re not closed on a Monday.
Or I’ll make lunch unless somebody else wants to.
Which means I’ll make lunch if nobody else wants to.
We don’t use unless for things that we know to be true.
for example:
You won’t be able to get a ticket for the match
unless you’re prepared to pay a lot of money for it.
Here, the speaker doesn’t know if you’re prepared to pay a lot of money for a ticket.
But I don’t know what we would have done if we hadn’t seen you.
We did see you, so we know it is true. So we can’t use unless.
So you wouldn't say:
I don’t know what we would have done unless we’d seen you.
So, be careful!
For in spoken English,
we use unless to introduce an extra thought or piece of information.
Something you have just thought of.
For example:
He didn’t even know about the crash – unless he’d heard about it on the radio.
Or
Oh look. Neil next door’s got a new car.
Unless they’ve got a visitor.
So, watch out for this common mistake.
We don’t use unless when we mean if.
Pete will drive if Alex can’t.
Not: Pete will drive unless Alex can’t.
So now it’s your turn.
Write a new sentence with the same meaning using unless.
1. Listen carefully or you won’t know what to do.
You won’t know what to do..................................
unless you listen carefully.
2. Business must improve soon, or the company will have to close.
There are two possible answers here.
The company will have to close unless business improves soon.
Or
Unless business improves soon, the company will have to close.
Notice when the subordinate clause with unless comes first you need a comma.
3. I don’t want to go to the party. I’m going only if you go too.
I’m not going..............................
I'm not going to the party unless you go too.
Don’t worry about the dog. It will attack you only if you move suddenly.
You know what to do,
write your answer down below and I promise to give you feedback on your answer.
So that’s it for today,
I hope you feel more confident using unless in English.
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Bye, bye!