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Minh Anh Nguyễn Posted 5 years ago
Grammar

Please help me check this English grammar

Question: Unless this biodiversity were maintained, marine life would be at stake.
  • A. If this biodiversity were maintained, marine life would be at stake.
  • B. If this biodiversity weren’t maintained, marine life would be at stake.
  • C. If this biodiversity were maintained, marine life wouldn’t be at stake
  • D. If this biodiversity weren’t maintained, marine life wouldn’t be at stake.

B is a correct answer but I have no idea why C is not a correct one. Please explain it for me. Thank you!

  

Top answer

n Question: Unless this biodiversity were maintained, marine life would be at stake. This is ungrammatical and skewed. There is no call for the subjunctive, and conditionality is implicit in "unless".

— Anonymous

  • n Question: Unless this biodiversity were maintained, marine life would be at stake.
  • This is ungrammatical and skewed.
  • There is no call for the subjunctive, and conditionality is implicit in "unless".
  • Also, "at stake" requires a gamble.
  • They meant "at risk".
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2 Answers
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Minh Anh Nguy?n Question: Unless this biodiversity were maintained, marine life would be at stake.

This is ungrammatical and skewed. There is no call for the subjunctive, and conditionality is implicit in "unless". Also, "at stake" requires a gamble. They meant "at risk". It should be "Unless this biodiversity is maintained, marine life will be at risk."

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Minh Anh Nguy?nB is a correct answer

They are testing to see if you know the simple formula

unless = if ... not.

CJ

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