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Jack112 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Unless
Are these correct? If not, why? What do they mean?
Is 'unless' the same as 'if'?
1. He wouldn't know unless we told him.
2. He wouldn't know unless we tell him.
3. He won't know unless we tell him.
4. He won't know unless we told him.
Is 'unless' the same as 'if'?
1. He wouldn't know unless we told him.
2. He wouldn't know unless we tell him.
3. He won't know unless we tell him.
4. He won't know unless we told him.
Top answer
They are conditional sentences, but 'if' and 'unless' do not mean the same: He wouldn't know unless we told him. (= if we told him, only then would he know) He wouldn't know if we told him. (= even should we tell him, he still wouldn't understand; or, he wouldn't realize that he had been told) Only (1) and (3) are correct, taking the standard form of the conditional -- 'will' in the matrix clause takes 'present' tense in the subordinate clause; 'would' in the matrix takes 'past' in the subordinate.
- They are conditional sentences, but 'if' and 'unless' do not mean the same: He wouldn't know unless we told him.
- (= if we told him, only then would he know) He wouldn't know if we told him.
- (= even should we tell him, he still wouldn't understand; or, he wouldn't realize that he had been told) Only (1) and (3) are correct, taking the standard form of the conditional -- 'will' in the matrix clause takes 'present' tense in the subordinate clause; 'would' in the matrix takes 'past' in the subordinate.
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1 Answers
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They are conditional sentences, but 'if' and 'unless' do not mean the same:
He wouldn't know unless we told him. (= if we told him, only then would he know)
He wouldn't know if we told him. (= even should we tell him, he still wouldn't understand; or, he wouldn't realize that he had been told)
Only (1) and (3) are correct, taking the standard form of the con
He wouldn't know unless we told him. (= if we told him, only then would he know)
He wouldn't know if we told him. (= even should we tell him, he still wouldn't understand; or, he wouldn't realize that he had been told)
Only (1) and (3) are correct, taking the standard form of the con
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