otherwise/or

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Hi What's the diffference between otherwise and or? can you help me to this subject? can you give a example?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

tripless Hi What's the diffference between otherwise and or? can you help me to this subject? can you give a example?

"otherwise" introduces a clause. It means something like "if the situation is not as described".

If Greg is home we'll drop in and invite him to go hiking with us; otherwise, we'll just go on without him.
Staple those pages together; otherwise, the document will come apart and you'll lose part of it.
You have to add the garlic last; otherwise, it will burn.

After imperatives and similar phrasings, you'll hear "or" instead of "otherwise".

Add the garlic last, or it will burn.
Better take that medicine now, or you'll regret it later.

_____________________

"or" can join any two phases of the same status. It signals an alternative.

big or small, fast or slow, the mountains or the valleys, Laura or Mike, the Senate or the House, her mother or her father, the first or the second, paper, scissors, or rock, apple pie or chocolate cake, do or die, sink or swim, in sickness or in health, up in the attic or down in the basement, for us or for them, masculine, feminine, or neuter, more or less acceptable

We can go for a walk, or we can stay home and watch TV.
Either Bill wanted to go to China or he wanted to learn Chinese. I've forgotten which.
Paula brought the chips and Louise brought the salsa. Or maybe it was the other way around.

You cannot use "otherwise" in any of the examples above that illustrate the use of "or". You certainly can't use it with "either".

CJ

Tripless · Answer

thank you so much.. I understood its again thanks

otherwise/or

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