CONDITIONAL SENTENCES - UNLESS / IF NOT

Here is an exercise that attempts to discriminate between these two meanings of if…not. Which of these sentences could you re-write with unless?

1. If you don’t have an umbrella, I’ll lend you mine.
2. If you don’t take an umbrella, you’ll get wet.
3. He’ll fail his exam if he doesn’t study.
4. I’ll be very disappointed if he doesn’t study.
5. Will it be all right if I don’t wear a tie?
6. They won’t let you in if you don’t wear a tie.
7. If it doesn’t rain in August the tourists will be happy.
8. If it doesn’t rain this August, there will be water shortages.
9. In the old days people never travelled if they didn’t really have to.

   10.  You’d sleep better if you didn’t drink coffee before bed.



Answers:

You can substitute if…not with unless in sentences 2, 3, 6, 8 and 9. Notice how unless seems often to occur in the context of bad or unfortunate things happening

CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINKS

UNLESS - 01

UNLESS - 02

UNLESS - 03

UNLESS - 04