Союз as long as может использоваться в двух значениях: 1) при условии, что, 2) до тех пор, пока. В первом случае он присоединяет придаточное условия, а во втором — придаточное времени. Кроме того, возможен вариант, когда as long as объединяет оба значения.
Содержание:
- «При условии, что».
- «До тех пор, пока».
- As long as — и «при условии, что», и «до тех пор, пока».
- Упражнения.
1. «При условии, что»
Союз as long as может использоваться в условных предложениях в значении «при условии, что». Речь, как правило, идет о настоящем или будущем: при условии, что А, происходит или произойдет Б.
As long as you follow the rules, you have nothing to worry about. — При условии, что вы следуете правилам, вам не о чем беспокоиться.
You can take any course as long as you are a student of the university. — Вы можете записаться на любой курс при условии, что вы студент этого университета.
Как и во всех условных предложениях, придаточная часть (та, что с союзом) не принимает форму будущего времени — ее принимает только главная часть.
You will be provided with everything as long as you will be are on our side. — Вы будете всем обеспечены при условии, что будете на нашей стороне.
2. «До тех пор, пока»
В придаточном времени союз as long as используется как «пока», «до тех пор, пока», «так долго, как», то есть речь идет не об условии, а о промежутке времени. Предложение также относится к настоящему или будущему, чаще к будущему.
You can play as long as you like. — Можешь играть сколько хочешь (букв.: «так долго, как тебе нравится»).
As long as you have this talisman the ghosts stay away from you. — Пока у тебя есть этот талисман, привидения держатся от тебя в стороне.
Как и в других предложениях с придаточным времени, придаточная часть (та, что с союзом) не принимает форму будущего времени, ее принимает главная часть.
You will be known as felon as long as you will live. — Вас будут знать как преступника всю жизнь (букв.: «пока вы живете»).
He will live in our house as long as he will need needs. — Он будет жить в нашем доме сколько ему нужно (букв.: «так долго, как ему нужно»)
Часто грань между двумя значениями as long as размывается, и союз можно понять и как «при условии», и как «до тех пор, пока». Например:
As long as you stay in the hotel, you can use the swimming pool. — Пока/при условии, что вы живете в гостинице, вы можете пользоваться бассейном.
My cat is kind as long as she is not hungry. — Моя кошка добрая, пока/при условии, что она не голодна.
В данных случаях разницы между «пока» и «при условии» практически нет.
Упражнения
В этом упражнении, помимо as long as, используются союзы if, unless, when, которые должны быть вам знакомы по предыдущим урокам.
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1. As long as ever you can. 
2. A man is not old as long as he is seeking something. A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.
3. As long as the world shall last there will be wrongs, and if no man rebelled, those wrongs would last forever.
4. Wherever we are going,as long as we are together.
5. As long as they read, short but fickle.
6. i’ll love you as long as i live.
7. Customers often defer payment for as long as possible.
8. as long as you love me.
9. As long as you’re with me enough.
10. Man errs as long as he strives.
11. As long as you love me .
12. As long as we’re happy, that’s all that matters.
13. That there was no room for unhappiness as long as I was free.
14. We’ve struggled on for as long as we could, but now we’re at the end of the line.
14. Wish you can benefit from our online sentence dictionary and make progress every day!
15. As long as you are still alive, you will definitely encounter the good things in life.
16. Don’t lose faith, as long as the unremittingly, you will get some fruits.
17. As long as it is a comedy, I’d rather cry during the process.
18. My mistake won’t be discovered as long as nobody tells on me.
19. The new manager will be given carte blanche as long as she can increase the company’s profits.
20. like a fertile ground for learning, as long as hard work, there will be many of the fruit; if lazy work, when other people jump when the harvest dance, you have a regret.
21. We may grow old together,but as long as we are together,I feel young.
22. As long as two years ago, Mandelson tried to unpick the reasons for the disaster.
23. You will be seeing miracles as long as you take a deep breath.
24. We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving, and we all have the power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.
25. A little birthday wish just to let know how much I care about you.May you seek all the best that the world has to give.May you never stop learning for as long as you live.
26. I know I need to go to the dentist but I’ve been putting off the evil day as long as possible.
27. Do what makes you happy, be with who makes you smile, laugh as much as you breathe, and love as long as you live.
28. We left them there at the bus stop in Winborn. As we drove away, I watched out the window as long as I could, looking back at the little gihugging her new doll.
29. Dreams don’t abandon a painstaking pursuit of the people, as long as you never stop pursuing, you will bathe in the brilliance of the dream.
30. If you get tired one day, you will see my smile as long as you turn around.
Сегодня мы рассмотрим ещё одни случай выражения условий в английском языке, а именно, правило употребления союза as long as.
Для начала рассмотрим пример:
- I’ll tell you a secret as long as you don’t tell anyone else. (Я расскажу тебе секрет, при условии, что ты не кому больше не скажешь)
Мы используем союз as long as в значении «если, при условии что…»
Союзом as long as вводится придаточное предложение первого типа. И, как вы уже наверняка знаете, в таком типе предложения мы используем настоящее время.
Неверно — As long as you won’t tell anybody else.
Примеры
- You can go out with your friends as long as you don’t stay late. (Ты можешь пойти погулять с друзьями, при условии, что не будешь до поздна);
- We’ll go fishing as long as it doesn’t rain. (Мы пойдём на рыбалку, если не будет дождя);
- I’ll give you my car as long as you drive carefully. (Я дам тебе свою машину, при условии, что ты будешь водить аккуратно).
Вместо as long as мы также можем использовать so long as.
- I’ll pay for you this time so long as you pay me back. (Я заплачу за тебя в этот раз, при условии, что ты отдашь деньги)
Provided, providing и as long as — правило употребления
Наравне с as long as мы можем использовать конструкции:
- Provided (that)
- Providing (that)
Оба слова имеют такое же значение, что и as long as — если, при условии…
Таким образом, мы одинаково можем использовать все три варианта, чтобы передать условия выполнения действий.
Примеры
- Provided (that) the weather is good, we’ll go to the beach. (Если погода будет хорошая, мы пойдём на пляж);
- I don’t mind walking with you providing (that) it doesn’t take long. (Я не против пойти с тобой, только если не долго);
- We’ll take the children to the zoo provided (that) they behave themselfs. (Мы возьмём детей в зоопарк, при условии, что они будут вести себя хорошо).
У вас наверняка возник вопрос, можно ли во всех вышеперечисленных примерах использовать союз if, ведь он тоже имеет значение «если».
Конечно можно. Союзы, рассмотренные в сегодняшней теме, являются одним из способов образования условных предложений.
- We’ll go for a walk if it doesn’t rain;
- We’ll go for a walk as long as it doesn’t rain;
- We’ll go for a walk provided/providing that it doesn’t rain.
Всё три варианта предложения имеют одно значение — мы пойдём гулять, если не будет дождя.
Противоположное значение имеет союз unless, о котором вы можете прочитать здесь.
Тест на закрепление
Unless
Study this example situation:
The club is for members only.
You can’t go in unless you are a member.
This means:
‘You can’t go In except if you are a member.’ or ‘You can go in only if you are a member.’
Unless =’except if’
Some more examples of unless:
* I’ll see you tomorrow unless I have to work late. (= except if I have to work late)
* Don’t tell Sue what I said unless she asks you. (= except if she asks you)
* ‘Shall I tell Sue what you said?’ ‘Not unless she asks you.’ (= only if she asks you)
* I don’t like fish. I wouldn’t eat it unless I was extremely hungry. (= except if I was extremely hungry)
We often use unless in warnings:
* We’ll be late unless we hurry. (= except if we hurry)
* Unless you work much harder, you won’t pass the exam.
* I was told I wouldn’t pass the exam unless I worked harder.
Instead of unless it is often possible to say if … not:
* Don’t tell Sue what I said if she doesn’t ask you.
* We’ll be late if we don’t hurry.
As long as etc.
as long as or so long as All these expressions mean ‘if’ or ‘on condition that’.
provided (that) or providing (that) All these expressions mean ‘if’ or ‘on condition that’.
For example:
* You can use my car as long as you drive carefully.
* You can use my car so long as you drive carefully.
(= you can use my car but you must drive carefully—this is a condition)
* Travelling by car is convenient provided (that) you have somewhere to park.
* Travelling by car is convenient providing (that) you have somewhere to park.
(= but only if you have somewhere to park)
* Providing (that) she studies hard, she’ll pass her exams.
* Provided (that) she studies hard, she’ll pass her exams.
(= she must study hard — if she does this, she will pass)
When you are talking about the future, do not use will after unless/as long as/provided providing. Use a present tense:
* We’ll be late unless we hurry. (not ‘unless we will hurry’)
* Providing she studies hard, she will pass the exam. (not ‘providing she will study’)
EXERCISES
114.1 Write a new sentence with the same meaning. Use unless in your sentence.
1. You must work much harder or you won’t pass the exam.
You won’t pass, the exam unless you work much harder._
2. Listen carefully or you won’t know what to do.
You won’t know what to do —.
3. She must apologize to me or I’ll never speak to her again. I’ll —.
4. You have to speak very slowly or he won’t be able to understand you.
5. The company must offer me more money or I’m going to look for another job.
114.2 Write a new sentence with the same meaning. Use unless in your sentence.
1. You are allowed into the club only if you’re a member.
You aren’t allowed into the club unless you’re a member._
2. I’m going to the party only if you go too. I’m not going —.
3. The dog will attack you only if you move suddenly.
4. He’ll speak to you only if you ask him a question.
5. The doctor will see you today only if it’s an emergency.
114.3 Choose the correct word or expression for each sentence.
1. You can use my car _unless/as long as_ you drive carefully. (as long as is correct)
2. I’m playing tennis tomorrow _unless/providing_ it’s raining.
3. I’m playing tennis tomorrow _unless/providing_ it’s not raining.
4. I don’t mind if you come in late _unless/as long as_ you come in quietly.
5. I’m going now _unless/provided_ you want me to stay.
6. I don’t watch television _unless/as long as_ I’ve got nothing else to do.
7. Children are allowed to use the swimming pool _unless/provided_ they are with an adult.
8. _Unless/provided_ they are with an adult, children are not allowed to use the swimming pool.
9. We can sit here in the corner _unless/as long as_ you’d rather sit over there by the window.
10. A: Our holiday cost a lot of money.
B: Did it? Well, that doesn’t matter _unless/as long as_ you enjoyed yourselves.
114.4 Use your own ideas to complete these sentences.
1. We’ll be late unless _we hurry._
2. I like hot weather unless —.
3. I like hot weather provided —.
4. Kate reads a newspaper every day as long as —.
5. I don’t mind walking home as long as —.
6. I like to walk to work in the morning unless —.
7. We can meet tomorrow unless —.
8. You can borrow the money providing —.
9. You won’t achieve anything unless —.
114.1
2 unless you listen carefully.
3 I’ll never speak to her again unless she apologises to me.
4 He won’t be able to understand you unless you speak very slowly.
5 I’m going to look for another job unless the company offer (or offers) me more money.
114.2
2 I’m not going to the party unless you go too. or … unless you come too.
3 The dog won’t attack you unless you move suddenly.
4 He won’t speak to you unless you ask him a question.
5 The doctor won’t see you today unless it’s an emergency.
114.3
2 unless 3 providing
4 as long as 5 unless
6 unless 7 provided
8 Unless 9 unless
10 as long as
114.4 Example answers:
2 I have to work.
3 I don’t have to work.
4 she has time.
5 it isn’t raining.
6 I’m in a harry.
7 you have something else to do.
8 you pay it back as soon as possible.
9 you take risks.
‘As long as’ is a very common English phrase. Find out what it means and three different ways to use it in this essential grammar lesson. In it, you will learn how to talk about duration, conditions, and emphasis with ‘as long as’. As long as you’re here, why don’t you click on this video? It’s my 100th video to date!
Quiz
Test your understanding of this English lesson
Test your understanding of the English lesson by answering these questions. You will get the answers and your score at the end of the quiz.
LEAVE A COMMENT
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#1
Is «as long as» in common use and a good substitute for «since» as in «As long as you’ve offered, I accept?» Source: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
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#2
I would not regard as long as as being a direct substitute for since. The meanings are close, but I would see as long as you are offering having the implicit meaning that the offer may be withdrawn. On the other hand, since you are offering has the implicit meaning that I will accept the offer because you are making it.
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#3
I think there are a few more points worth making here.
As long as you’ve offered has much the force of If you’ve really offered.
I wouldn’t say that there’s a question of the offer’s being withdrawn, but rather that there is a lively question in the speaker’s mind whether it was ever made — as long as you’ve offered is almost asking for confirmation that the offer was made.
As long as you are offering would raise questions about whether the offer is being made, about whether it stands: the tense makes a difference.
I agree that Since you are offering implies that the acceptance follows from the offer. It’s hard to see, of course, how you can accept an offer which has not been made, but logic sometimes goes by the board in polite communication, and the accent might be on the you. I might not accept the offer from someone else.
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#4
Since you’ve offered, I accept makes sense to me (in the sense of seeing that you’ve offered). If I wanted a synonym for since, I would choose as (not because). As long as means nothing to me here and I suspect it’s a US idiom.
I also don’t think that since and as long as have anything in common.
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#5
As long as to mean provided that is quite common in BE, surely, E2E4?
I was surprised at the suggestion that it wasn’t idiomatic in BE. Maybe I misunderstood you.
The British Corpus has literally thousands of examples: eg.
As long as she didn’t get too serious it was all right. Misfortunes of Nigel. Fiona Pitt-Kethley.
At festival time nothing is illegal or forbidden as long as you have the price. The Fraxilly fracas. Douglas Hill.
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#6
It indeed is an AE idiom. I actually already know of the foremost meaning of «as long as» in the sense «provided that.» However, the second meaning «inasmuch as, since» is kind of more obscure to my undestanding, and hence I was expecting for some AE native speakers to spell out for me how it works.
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#7
«As long as» in the sense of the example given by the OP is common in AE. I don’t know that it’s precisely the equivalent of «since», but at least in that sentence, for all practical purposes it has the same meaning. It’s perhaps closer to «given that . . . » or «considering the fact that . . . «.
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#8
What I meant, Thomas, is that As long as you’ve offered, I accept has no meaning for me. (I would understand As long as you’re offering, but that is not the subject of the question.)
I can see no evidence that since and as long as can be synonyms (I note that providing and since are listed as synonyms in Urdang’s Oxford Thesaurus, but I don’t know why you mention provided that).
The American Heritage Dictionary has the same sentence in the latest edition (2011). No context is given, unfortunately!
My understanding of the sentence (with since) is as follows:
I wasn’t intending to go on holiday this month, but
since you’ve offered
(understood: to look after my daughter for me), I accept.
I cannot replace since in this sentence with as long as (it becomes unintelligible) or because (it alters the whole tone of the sentence). I can only replace since with seeing that or as.
Last edited: Dec 26, 2012
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#9
He are two more sentence examples that I found on merriam-webster.com and which also conveys the sense «inasmuch as,» «since,» to «as long as:»
«As long as you’re going, I’ll go too» and «As long as I’ve got my boots on, I might as well go out and get the firewood»
And here’s a third one that I found in the American Heritage Dictionary looking up «so long as:»
«So long as you’re driving into town, why not give me a ride?»
Hope it might help.
Last edited: Dec 26, 2012
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#10
«As long as you’re going, I’ll go too» and «As long as I’ve got my boots on, I might as well go out and get the firewood»
Since is clearly not the same as as long as in the first sentence as it would imply that s/he is going. The synonym providing could be used.
In the other sentence since makes more sense, but I would not say it conveys the same impression as while.
The problem with synonyms is that they are only interchangeable in certain contexts. As a translator, I often make use of thesauri and if I find, say, ten synonyms, I probably reject at least half of them, either because they are inappropriate or because they do not suit my style of writing.
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#11
«I wasn’t intending to go on on holiday this month, but since you’ve offered, I accept» is what actually «as long as» as a variant of «since» implies.
However, I still cannot figure out how the AE usage works.
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#12
«Seeing that/since/as you’re going, I’ll go too» and «seeing that/since/as I’ve got my boots on, I might as well go out and get the firewood» sound just right to my French ears.
What I actually would like to know is how much frequency has the AE «as long as» compared to the shared AE/BE «since» and «as» in such context.
Last edited: Dec 26, 2012
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#13
Oddly enough, the foremost sense of «as long as» (=during the time that) and its second AE only sense (=seeing that, since/as) can make it kind of an ambiguous idiom to use in such contexts.
«I’ll stay as long as you need me» indeed can mean either «I’ll stay during the time that you need me» or «I’ll stay as/since/seeing that you need me.» So weird!
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#14
Incidentally, Merriam-Webster makes no reference to the «during that time» sense in its definition of «as soon as,» unlike The American Heritage Dictionary of English Language which quotes it first off.
Last edited: Dec 26, 2012
Cagey
post mod (English Only / Latin)
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#15
[….]
«I’ll stay as long as you need me» indeed can mean either «I’ll stay during the time that you need me» or «I’ll stay as/since/seeing that you need me.» So weird!
I doubt anyone would say this expecting ‘as long as’ to be understood «given that, because».
Native speakers of English tend to be aware of the possibilities of ambiguity and avoid them, or go on to clarify which meaning they have in mind.
I suppose that the same is true of native speakers of French.
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#16
You suppose it well. Hence, you think I’m beating another dead horse and that it’ll lead to nowhere, uh?
Cagey
post mod (English Only / Latin)
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#17
I think the distinctions other posters have made above may be useful.
I don’t think that pushing it further is going to be helpful.
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#18
Well, I think on the contrary that it might be worth pushing it a bit further as long as Parla in post #7 put forward it actually is common in AE in the sense of the example given in the OP, which approximates to saying «given that» or «considering the fact that.» In addition, most advices that I’ve been receiving so far come from the BE side. Now, if you don’t mind and for the sake of intellectual curiosity, I think it’d be interesting to collect a few more evidence from the other side of the Atlantic, unless you know of some expects in the Merriam-Webster’s or Houghton-Muffin’s usage panels that I could contact and who could explain to me in plain language the uncanny usage of «as long as» in the sense «since/seeing that.»
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#19
Here’s another sentence example that I’ve taken from an article written by R. Minder in 2012 in the NY Times, Section B; Column 0; Business/Financial Desk; Pg. 3:
«Golden Hawk can label its watches Swiss-made as long as at least 50 percent of the value of the movement comes from Switzerland.»
Here again, the sense of what is being conveyed is ambiguous as, depending on the context in which «as long as» is to be understood, it can imply that:
— Either Golden Hawk can label its watches Swiss-made providing/provided that at least 50 percent of the value of the movement comes from Switzerland;
— Or that Golden Hawk can label its watches Swiss-made since/as/inasmuch as/seeing that 50 percent of the value of the movement comes from Switzerland;
— Or even that Golden Hawk can label its watches Swiss-made during the time that at least 50 percent of the value of the movement comes from Switzerland.
Well, looks like I’ve dug up here something big for you fellow native speakers to rack your brain over…
Last edited: Dec 26, 2012
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#20
I don’t think this is much of a problem, HNBD.
«Golden Hawk can label its watches Swiss-made as long as at least 50 percent of the value of the movement comes from Switzerland.»
This clearly doesn’t mean your second suggestion — since/as/inasmuch as/seeing that. I’d add because.
It means during the time that — this is a proviso, the introduction to a sufficient condition, so making the sufficient condition your first option isn’t to add anything.
The point about as long as in this context is that it’s saying that the condition is now met, and the consequence will follow during the time that it continues to be met. Whether as long as means that the consequence will reapply the moment the condition recurs is an open question.
Last edited: Dec 26, 2012
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#21
Well, if one doesn’t know the context which is involved in this sentence, all three suggestions seem to work just fine to my ears and, yes, it indeed also makes sense if you substitute «because» for «since.»
— Golden Hawk can label its watches Swiss-made providing (on/under the condition that) at least 50 percent of the value of the movement comes from Switzerland;
— Golden Hawk can label its watches Swiss-made since (in view of the the fact that) 50 percent of the value of the movement comes from Switzerland;
— Golden Hawk can label its watches Swiss-made during the time that at least 50 percent of the value of the movement comes from Switzerland;
— Golden Hawk can label its watches Swiss-made because (for the reason/due to the fact that) 50 percent of the movement comes from Switzerland.
Still and all, the «because/for the reason that» sense of «as long as» is suggested in neither Merriam-Webster nor the American Heritage Dictionary of English Language.
Last edited: Dec 26, 2012
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#22
Well, looks like I’ve dug up here something big for you fellow native speakers to rack your brain over…
No, you have done nothing of the sort.
Well, if one doesn’t know the context which is involved in this sentence, all three suggestions seem to work just fine to my ears
Indeed, the context is not an issue with this sentence. If you were using the ears of a native speaker, you would know that the sentence «Golden Hawk can label its watches Swiss-made as long as at least 50 percent of the value of the movement comes from Switzerland.» can only have one meaning, as Thomas Tompion has already explained. The three other suggestions in your post #21 are of no relevance to the meaning of «as long as» in this sentence.
You also seem to have forgotten that your original question referred to a specific use of «as long as» or «since» and did not relate to any other possible partial synonyms.
Cagey
post mod (English Only / Latin)
‘We’ll catch our flight as long as we leave soon.’
As long as
Take a look at this sentence:
«I will go if it is free.»
(If it is free, I will go.)
In this sentence we can change if to as long as and it keeps the same meaning:
«I will go as long as it is free.»
(As long as it is free, I will go)
Here are some other examples:
«You can borrow my bike as long as you are careful.» = You can borrow my bike if you are careful.
«You will pass the test as long as you study hard.» = You will pass the test if you study hard.
Unless
Now let’s look at the same if sentence using a negative:
«If it isn’t free, I won’t go.»
(I won’t go if it isn’t free.)
Here we can use unless to keep the same meaning:
«Unless it is free, I won’t go.»
(I won’t go unless it is free.)
Unless means except if or only if.
Here are some other examples:
«I’ll walk to town unless it rains.» = If it doesn’t rain, I’ll walk to town.
«Unless we leave now, we’ll be late.» = If we don’t leave now, we’ll be late.
«You can’t enter unless you have a ticket.» = Only if you have a ticket, can you enter.
Now read the sentences below and decide if unless or as long as should be used.
Using the comments box give us some of your own example sentences using ‘unless’ and ‘as long as’.
Link: I am used to… lesson
- You should not swim in the river ___ you are a good swimmer.
- I will take a day off ___ my boss says that it is ok.
- You can improve your English ___ you use this site!
- You will not get fit ___ you stop smoking.
- It does not matter how it tastes ___ you do not eat it.
- She will be angry with him ___ he says sorry.
- There is no need to wake up early ___ you want to.
- The rock concert will be good ___ you don’t mind loud music.
- My pet lion will not bite you ____ you do not get too close.
- Fast food is great ___ you eat too much of it.
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The words until and as long as are commonly used in our day-to-day life to indicate something related to a particular time. Both of these words could be mistakenly used interchangeably sometimes.
Key Takeaways
- “Until” indicates the end of a specific time frame or condition; “as long as” implies a continuing state or action under certain conditions.
- “Until” is used when a change is expected after a specified point, whereas “as long as” suggests that the status quo will be maintained given certain circumstances.
- Example: “Wait here until I return” (action ends when the speaker returns); “You can stay as long as you want” (action continues based on the listener’s desire).
Until can be used as a conjunction and preposition as it gives the meaning of the end of some action. For example, “The project can’t proceed further until you identify the errors.” As long as can be used as a conjunction and idiom. It shows the continuity of the action that is still happening.
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While ‘until’ is a word, ‘as long as’ is a phrase. The term ‘until’ denotes or refers to a particular time, while the word ‘as long as’ refers to a specific duration of time.
The word ‘until’ generally speaks of a future event or condition, while ‘as long as’ talks more of a present action or state. While ‘until’ indicates any time in the future, ‘as long as’ has some conditional element.
Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Until | As long as |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The word until refers to or indicates up to a specific time limit or before it. | The phrase means something that continues the whole time or provides that. |
| Derivative | The word is derived from the two old Scandinavian syllables- un and till- with the same meaning. | The word long originates from Old English and Dutch words lang or longus. |
| Usage | The word ‘until’ is used as a preposition and conjunction according to the sentence’s meaning. | The phrase ‘as long as’ can be used as a conjunction between sentences or even as an idiom sometimes. |
| Synonyms | Many other words have a similar meaning to ‘until’ like: till, up to, up until, before, in advance of, etc. | Many other words have a similar meaning to ‘as long as,’ like, because of, as much as, all in all, in light of, etc. |
| Examples | · We sang songs until dawn. · She will not be able to leave the hostel until Friday. |
· I can stay here as long as the program ends. · As long as you study, you can clear the exams. |
When to Use the Word Until?
The word ‘until’ means up to a specific time limit. The word ‘till’ is derived from the Old English term, Proto-Germanic term, ‘tila’, which meant a planned point in time and many more Swedish, Gothic and German words which meant the same.
The word ‘till’ is considered colloquial in Modern English and has often been replaced by ‘until’ and ‘to’. The term ‘until’ is used as a preposition and conjunction.
The word ‘until’ can be used as a preposition, always followed by a noun to indicate a specific happening up to a particular point in time and then stopping. It can be used as a preposition in the following two senses:
- To indicate that if something happens up to a specific time, it will happen before and end at that time.
Examples:
- Until 2020, he was the commander of the army.
- We shared our things until he came.
- They are used with a negative to emphasize a condition, after which the statement will become true.
Examples:
- The New Act won’t take effect until the end of this financial year.
- It was not until 1999 that a new breed of parasites was found.
The word ‘until’ can also be used as a conjunction to indicate a time up to the event mentioned earlier. For example, ‘I will stay with her until her mom returns’.
When to Use the Phrase As long As?
The term ‘as long as’, sometimes substituted as ‘so long as’, is used to mean a specific plan or idea, often in the future. The future action is always indicated in the present simple form after the word ‘as long as’ is used.
The word ‘long’ originates in Old English words like ‘lang’, which means “having a great linear extent that extends from end to end”, or even from old Proto-Germanic words like ‘Langa’, which has similar meanings.
The phrase ‘as long as’ is used as a conjunction between sentences. This phrase has been used at different times to mean the following:
- To put the condition of time on action.
Examples:
- The car will keep running if you fill it with petrol.
- I will look after her kids if she does not return.
- To indicate that ‘if something is provided.’
Examples:
- My mother has been a regular visitor to this clinic for as long as I remember.
- She will take care of me as long as she can.
- To denote that a particular condition has to be met.
Examples: As long as he promises to be careful, I’ll let him ride my new car.
Main Differences Between Until and As Long As
- The word ‘until’ is used as a preposition and a conjunction, while ‘as long as’ can be used as a conjunction and, sometimes, even as an idiom.
- The main difference between until and as long as is that while ‘until’ talks about a future event, ‘as long as’ talks about a present condition or action.
- ‘Until’ specifies the time up to a certain point in the future, while ‘as long as’ focuses more on the duration of the time between two events.
- ‘Until’ is usually used to refer to a period that will end when something happens, or someone does something or maybe not, while ‘as long as’ refers to a time that is conditional and would happen on the acceptance of a situation or condition.
- The word ‘until’ can be used as a conjunction to mean ‘up to that time’, ‘before’, and ‘to the point that’, while the word ‘as long as’ can be used to mean ‘during that time’, ‘since’, or ‘on the condition that’.
References
- https://www.etymonline.com/word/long
Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
Unit 115- Part A
Unit 115- Part B
Unit 115- Part C
When you are talking about the future, do not use will after unless / as long as / so long as / provided / providing. Use a present tense (see Unit 25):
• I’m not going out unless it stops raining. (not unless it will stop)
• Providing the weather is good, we’re going to have a picnic. (not providing it will be good)
Exercises
{slide=1 Write a new sentence with the same meaning.}
Write a new sentence with the same meaning. Use unless in your sentence.
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}2 You won’t know what to do unless you listen carefully.
3 I’ll never speak to her again unless she apologises to me. or Unless she apologises to me, I’ll …
4 He won’t be able to understand you unless you speak very slowly. or Unless you speak very slowly, he …
5 The company will have to close unless business improves soon. or Unless business improves soon, the company …{end-tooltip}
1 You must try a bit harder or you won’t pass the exam.
You won’t pass the exam unless you try a bit harder.
2 Listen carefully or you won’t know what to do.
You won’t know what to do __________________________
3 She must apologise to me or I’ll never speak to her again.
___________________________________________________
4 You have to speak very slowly or he won’t be able to understand you.
___________________________________________________
5 Business must improve soon, or the company will have to close.
___________________________________________________
{/slide} {slide=2 Write sentences with unless.}Write sentences with unless.
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}2 I’m not going (to the party) unless you go too.
3 The dog won’t attack you unless you move suddenly.
4 Ben won’t speak to you unless you ask him something.
5 The doctor won’t see you unless it’s an emergency.{end-tooltip}
1 The club isn’t open to everyone. You are allowed in only if you’re a member.
You aren’t allowed in the club unless you’re a member.
2 I don’t want to go to the party alone. I’m going only if you go too.
I’m not going _________________________________________
3 Don’t worry about the dog. It will attack you only if you move suddenly.
The dog ______________________________________________
4 Ben isn’t very talkative. He’ll speak to you only if you ask him something.
Ben __________________________________________________
5 Today is a public holiday. The doctor will see you only if it’s an emergency.
The doctor ____________________________________________
{/slide} {slide=3 Choose the correct word or expression for each sentence.}Choose the correct word or expression for each sentence.
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}2 unless
3 providing
4 as long as
5 unless
6 unless
7 provided
8 Unless
9 unless
10 as long as{end-tooltip}
1 You can borrow my car unless / as long as you promise not to drive too fast. (as long as is correct)
1 I’m playing tennis tomorrow unless / providing it rains.
3 I’m playing tennis tomorrow unless / providing it doesn’t rain.
4 I don’t mind if you come home late unless / as long as you come in quietly.
5 I’m going now unless / provided you want me to stay.
6 I don’t watch TV unless / as long as I’ve got nothing else to do.
7 Children are allowed to use the swimming pool unless / provided they are with an adult.
8 Unless /provided they are with an adult, children are not allowed to use the swimming pool.
9 We can sit here in the corner unless / as long as you’d rather sit over there by the window.
10 A: Our holiday cost a lot of money.
B: Did it? Well, that doesn’t matter unless / as long as you enjoyed yourselves.
{/slide} {slide=4 Use your own ideas to complete these sentences.}Use your own ideas to complete these sentences.
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}Example answers:
2 it’s not too hot
3 there isn’t too much traffic
4 it isn’t raining
5 I’m in a hurry
6 you have something else to do
7 you pay it back next week
8 you take risks{end-tooltip}
1 We’ll be late unless we get a taxi .
2 I like hot weather as long as _____________________________.
3 It takes Kate about 20 minutes to drive to work provided _____________________________.
4 I don’t mind walking home as long as _____________________________.
5 I like to walk to work in the morning unless _____________________________.
6 We can meet tomorrow unless _____________________________.
7 You can borrow the money providing _____________________________.
8 You won’t achieve anything unless _____________________________.
{/slide}
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