0
Hela Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Unless + negative construction

0 Dear teachers, 02br
02br
00Would you please tell me if we can have a negative construction with unless? example: 02br
02br
00Unless we DON'T HEAR from you, the order WILL NOT BE cancelled. 02br
02br
00instead of: 02br
02br
00Unless we HEAR from you, the order WILL BE cancelled. 02br
02br
00See you, 02br
00Hela 02br
0-
  

Top answer

' 0-

— Mister Micawber

  • ' 0-
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

15 Answers
0
0Seems eminently possible to me, Hela, especially in conversation: 02br
02br
00'Unless I don't have to wear a monkey suit, I'm not coming to your wedding!' 0-
0
0
0 Do you mean that if I you DO NOT WEAR a monkey suit you WILL NOT COME to my wedding ?? 0-
0
0
0 No, Hela. It means that if he does have to wear a monkey suit, he won't come! 0-
0
0
0 Is this standard English or just spoken / informal English ? 02br
02br
00So is the following sentence correct ? If yes, what does it mean? 02br
02br
00"Unless we DON’T hear from you… , the order WILL NOT be cancelled. 02br
02br
00Thanks 0-
0
0
0 Actually, Hela, even though Mr. M says it sonds fine, it does sound strange to me. It makes sense, and is undoubtedly logical (somewhere), but I find it rather confusing. 02br
02br
00I think it would be better to say "01b00if02b00 we don't hear from you, the order will not be cancelled" 02br
02br
00or, better yet, "We will not canc
0
0
0 I agree with Abbie. 02br
02br
00Unless (predicate) = If 01b00not02b00 (predicate). 02br
02br
00So 02br
00 Unless we 01b00don't02b00 hear from you 02br
00 = If 01b00not02b00 (we 01b00don't02b00 hear from you) 02br
00
0
0
0 Hi paco - it's an odd use of a double negative. I can't get my head round it! 02br
02br
00I think #3 s/b 02br
02br
00Only the case 01b00that02b00 we hear from you 01b00will02b00 the order will be cancelled. 0-
0
0
0 My initial question was : Are the following 3 sentences correct and do they mean the same ? 02br
02br
001) If we DON NOT HEAR from you within seven days, the order WILL BE cancelled. 02br
02br
002) Unless we HEAR from you within seven days, the order WILL BE cancelled. 02br
02br
003) Unless we DO NOT HEAR from you… , the order WILL NO
0
0
0 Shouldn't it be "only IN the case etc..." ? 0-
0
0
0 Hi again hela - sorry, are we confusing the issue by introducing endless red herrings? 02br
02br
00#1 correct 02br
02br
00#2 correct 02br
02br
00#3 incorrect 02br
02br
00#1 and #2 mean the same. 02br
02br
00Is that better? 050010id1
0

Related Questions