complex sentence frame · neutral

Unless + clause, + clause

Band 4-5speakingtask2

Means 'if not'; used to state a negative condition (alternative to 'if ... not').

Examples

“You will miss the bus unless you leave now.”

“Unless we get more funding, the project will stop.”

“I won't go to the party unless she invites me.”

Band 8 sentence

“Unless policymakers address the structural causes of inequality, proposed reforms will have only limited impact.”

Collocations

  • unless + present simple, + will + verb (for future)

Word family

unless conjunction

Common mistakes

Unless you don't hurry, you'll miss the train.→Unless you hurry, you'll miss the train.

Unless you will come, I won't prepare dinner.→Unless you come, I won't prepare dinner.

Say it for a higher band

5If + not + clause→6If + clause (with negative word)→7+Unless + clause, + clause

Synonyms

if ... not

Easily confused

If + not + clause

“If you don't study, you will fail the exam.”

Related words

By the time + clause, clauseWhether + clause (or not)So + adjective + that + clauseEven if + clause, clauseSuch + (a/an) + noun + that + clauseIf + past perfect, would have + past participleOn the one hand + clause; on the other hand + clauseGiven that + clause, + clause

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In Complex sentences

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