На предыдущих уроках мы рассмотрели условные предложения с союзом if — если. Однако if — это не единственный «условный» союз. Сейчас мы рассмотрим предложения с противоположным по значению союзом unless — если не. На этом уроке не будет новых, незнакомых вам типов условных предложений, речь пойдет о конструкциях, с которыми вы уже знакомы, но с другим союзом.
Содержание:
- Союзы unless и if.
- Союзы unless, until, if, if… not.
- Как не запутаться в предложении с unless.
- Упражнения.
Союз unless значит «если… не» или «если только… не», по смыслу он противоположен союзу if — «если». Сравните:
Birds fly to the South if it is too cold for them. — Птицы летят на юг, если им слишком холодно.
Birds don’t fly to the South unless it is too cold for them. — Птицы не летят на юг, если только им не слишком холодно.
Союз unless используется, как правило, по отношению к действию в настоящем или будущем, то есть в условных предложениях нулевого и первого типа.
В условных предложениях нулевого типа речь идет о постоянной закономерности:
Unless they are hungry or scared, bears don’t attack humans. — Если только они не голодны или напуганы, медведи не нападают на людей.
He doesn’t eat fast food unless he is really hungry. — Он не ест фаст-фуд, если только он не совсем голоден.
В условных предложениях первого типа речь идет о действии сейчас или в будущем, возможном при каком-то условии.
You can take any table unless it is reserved. — Вы можете выбрать любой столик, если он не заказан.
I will lose my job in a week unless I find new clients. — Через неделю я потеряю работу, если не найду новых клиентов.
Трудностей с союзом unless две:
- Его путают с союзами if, if… not, даже с until.
- В предложении с unless можно запутаться и случайно изменить его смысл на противоположный.
Союзы unless, until, if, if… not
- Разница между unless и if… not
Под союзом if… not я подразумеваю сочетание союза if и глагола в отрицательной форме, например:
My cat sleeps all day if I do not wake her up. — Моя кошка спит весь день, если я ее не бужу.
Союз unless по смыслу равен союзу if… not, они взаимозаменяемы:
My cat sleeps all day unless I wake her up. — Моя кошка спит весь день, если я ее не бужу.
- Разница между unless и if
Значение этих союзов противоположное. Если механически заменить if на unless в каком-нибудь предложении, мы изменим его смысл на противоположный.
My cat sleeps all day if I leave her alone. — Моя кошка спит весь день, если я оставляю ее одну.
Здесь смысл следующий: кошка дома одна = кошка спит весь день. Если никого нет дома, кошка спит.
My cat sleeps all day unless I leave her alone / if I don’t leave her alone. — Моя кошка спит весь день, если я не оставляю ее одну.
Смысл противоположный: кошка дома НЕ одна = кошка спит весь день. Если никого нет дома, кошка не спит.
- Разница между unless и until
В большинстве случаев между союзами unless и until практически нет ничего общего, кроме сходства в написании. Unless значит «если… не» и имеет отношение к условию. Until значит «до тех пор, как» и имеет отношение ко времени. Первый используется в условных предложениях, второй — в предложениях с придаточным времени.
My cat sleeps all day unless I wake her up. — Моя кошка спит весь день, если только я ее не бужу.
My cat sleeps until I wake her up. — Моя кошка спит, пока я ее не разбужу.
Однако существует случай, когда эти союзы передают один и тот же смысл. В определенном случае и unless, и until действительно схожи по значению:
I will not go with you to the island unless you have a map. — Я не поеду с тобой на остров, если у тебя нет карты.
I will not go with you to the island untill you have a map. — Я не поеду с тобой на остров, пока у тебя не будет карты.
Оба предложения сводятся к одному и тому же: нет карты = на остров не поеду. Разницы в значении почти нет. В первом случае смысл передан в форме условного предложения с союзом unless — если не, во втором с помощью придаточного времени с союзом untill — пока.
Как не запутаться в предложении с unless
Важно понимать, что слово unless уже само по себе включает в себя отрицание:
Unless I return = Если я НЕ вернусь
То есть если мы добавим еще одно отрицание, получится уже утверждение:
Unless I don’t return = Если я НЕ НЕ вернусь = Если я вернусь
По этой причине предложений, где в придаточном и unless, и отрицание обычно избегают — для восприятия они трудны, как предложения с несколькими «не» в русском языке. Пример такого перегруженного предложения:
Don’t push this button unless I don’t ask you = Не нажимайте на эту кнопку, если только я вас не не попрошу (если я попрошу).
Что на английском, что на русском, трудно понять, так нажимать на кнопку или нет? Расшифровка, кстати, следующая: если я попрошу, не нажимайте на кнопку (игнорируйте просьбу).
Предложение с unless без второго отрицания намного понятнее:
Don’t push this button unless I ask you = Не нажимайте на эту кнопку, если только я вас не попрошу.
Расшифровка: если я попрошу, нажмите на кнопку (не игнорируйте просьбу), а если не прошу — не нажимайте.
Если и так получается сложно, замените unless на if… not:
Don’t push this button if I do not ask you = Не нажимайте на эту кнопку, если я вас не прошу.
Здесь все понятнее: без команды на кнопку не нажимать.
Другими словами, если вы путаетесь в предложениях с unless, то:
Don’t say «unless» unless it is necessary. — Не говорите «unless», если только в этом нет необходимости.
Упражнения
Выберите правильный вариант перевода.
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Слова unless и until являются союзами, соединяющими два простых предложения в одно сложное. Чтобы правильно использовать эти союзы, необходимо понимать между ними разницу:
unless обозначает условие, без которого невозможно другое действие, и переводится “если не”, “пока не”:
- I will not go away unless you give me my money. – Я не уйду, пока вы не отдадите мне мои деньги.
- I will quit my job unless I get a pay hike. – Я уйду с работы, если я не получу повышение зарплаты.
until обозначает момент времени, до которого совершалось, совершается или будет совершаться какое-либо действие, и переводится чаще всего “до тех пор, пока”:
- I lived in New York until I was 20. – Я жил в Нью-Йорке до тех пор, пока мне не исполнилось 20 лет.
- You’ll have to wait until they call your name. – Вы должны ждать до тех пор, пока не назовут ваше имя.
Итак, запомните: unless – это условие, until – момент времени.
Если вы помните, в прошлой заметке мы говорили о словах «as soon as», «as long as», а в сегодняшней собрались разобраться с «until» и «unless».
***
Давайте для начала быстренько вспомним прошлый материал. Скажите: одинаковые или разные значения имеют as long as и as soon as?
Ответили?
As soon as — это синоним «when» — «когда». Речь идет о времени. — You can eat the meat as soon as you repair the fence. — Можешь съесть мясо, как только починишь забор.
As long as — это синоним «if» — «если». Речь идет об условии. — You can take my car as long as you drive carefully. — Можешь покататься на моей машине, если будешь водить аккуратно.
***
Теперь давайте рассмотрим «until» и «unless».
Для этих двух слов лучше всего запомнить точный перевод:
until — пока не;
unless — если (только) не.
Давайте повторим еще раз вслух:
until — пока не;
unless — если (только) не.
Например:
Honey, I will wait UNTIL you come. — Дорогая, я буду ждать тебя, ПОКА ты НЕ придешь.
I will leave this city UNLESS I find a good job soon. — Я уеду из этого города, ЕСЛИ ТОЛЬКО НЕ найду в ближайшее время работу.
I will throw away all the forks in the house UNLESS you stop singing in the bathroom. — Я выброшу все вилки в доме, ЕСЛИ ты НЕ перестанешь петь в ванной.
My mother will live with us UNTIL you marry me. — Моя мама будет жить с нами, ПОКА ты НЕ женишься на мне.
Peter was playing hockey UNTIL Stan kicked him in the teeth. — Питер играл в хоккей, ПОКА Стэн НЕ ударил его ногой по зубам.
***
Иногда until и unless более-менее похожи:
I’ll live in Ipswich unless I find a flat in London. — Я буду жить в Ипсвиче, если только не найду квартиру в Лондоне.
I’ll live in Ipswich until I find a flat in London. — Я буду жить в Ипсвиче, пока не найду квартиру в Лондоне.
А в некоторых ситуациях можно употребить только одно из них.
Например, такая фраза звучит хорошо:
We’ll go to the restaurant unless you want to cook dinner yourself. — Мы пойдем в ресторан, если только ты не хочешь приготовить ужин сам.
А вот такая — как минимум, странно:
We’ll go to the restaurant until you want to cook dinner yourself. — Мы пойдем в ресторан, пока ты не захочешь приготовить ужин сам.
Как же понять, какое слово нужно? Интуитивно. Если вы крепко запомните их перевод, то всегда будете чувствовать, какое из них лучше подходит в данной ситуации.
***
А теперь пара грамматических тонкостей.
Первая: как вы думаете: можно ли говорить будущее время (will) после until? А после unless?
Правильно: нельзя. Потому что после любых наречий, обозначающих ВРЕМЯ или УСЛОВИЕ будущее время запрещается (см. предыдущий пост). А until — это наречие времени. А unless — условия. Так что никакого will после until или unless, пожалуйста! И, как вы, наверное помните, из прошлой рассылки, в другой части предложения, где нет этих слов — will говорить можно.
Например:
Ты останешься в магазине, пока ты не продашь все огурцы. — You will stay in the shop until you sell all the cucumbers (а не “until you will sell”).
Я не поеду в Китай, если ты не найдешь мне переводчика. — I won’t go to China unless you find a translator (а не «unless you will find»).
***
Вторая тонкость.
Вглядитесь, пожалуйста, еще раз в перевод слов until и unless. Видите? И там, и там присутствует частичка «НЕ»: until — пока НЕ, unless — если только НЕ.
А вот в английских предложениях слово NOT после until или unless говорить не нужно. Потому что сами эти слова уже несут в себе отрицание. Например:
I will only work till five o’clock until you raise my salary. — Я буду работать только до пяти часов, пока ты НЕ повысишь мне зарплату.
Your husband will sleep all day unless you wake him up. — Твой муж будет спать весь день, если только ты его НЕ разбудишь.
И, пожалуйста, обратите внимание, что в другой части предложения NOT говорить можно — если, конечно, оно там требуется по смыслу:
Frank will NOT water the plants unless you ask him. — Франк НЕ будет поливать цветы, если только ты его НЕ попросишь.
***
А теперь упражнение.
Джон женился на Мэри. Сначала все было хорошо. А потом начались взаимные претензии. Пожалуйста, переведите их на английский, а затем проверьте себя по ключам. Не забудьте несколько раз прочесть правильную версию вслух, а потом еще пару раз вернуться к этому же упражнению. Только после нескольких повторений материал по-настоящему прочно осядет у вас в голове. (Если вы не знаете какое-то слово, то сразу после упражнения есть мини-словарик).
Мэри: У нас будут проблемы с деньгами, если ты не прекратишь ходить по ресторанам.
Джон: Я буду ходить по ресторанам каждый вечер, пока ты не научишься хорошо готовить.
Мэри: Я не буду хорошо готовить, пока ты мне не купишь приличную плиту.
Джон: Я не куплю тебе приличную плиту, пока ты не выкинешь старую.
Мэри: Я не выкину старую, если ты не поможешь мне.
Джон: Я не буду тебе помогать, если не прекратишь орать.
Мэри: А я не прекращу орать, пока ты не начнешь приносить домой больше денег.
Мини-словарик
проблемы с деньгами — money problems
прекратить делать что-нибудь — stop DOING something
ходить по ресторанам — eat out
каждый вечер — every night
приличная плита — a decent cooker
орать — shout
начать делать что-нибудь — start DOING something
До скорой встречи!
Anton Brejestovski
КЛЮЧ К УПРАЖНЕНИЮ:
Mary: We will have money problems unless you stop eating out.
John: I will eat out every night until you learn to cook well.
Mary: I won’t cook well until you buy me a decent cooker.
John: I won’t buy you a decent cooker until you throw away the old one.
Mary: I won’t throw away the old cooker unless you help me.
John: I won’t help you unless you stop shouting.
Mary: I won’t stop shouting until you start bringing home more money.
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1
unless and until
Англо-русский синонимический словарь > unless and until
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2
unless and until
Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > unless and until
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3
unless and until
Универсальный англо-русский словарь > unless and until
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4
unless and until
Англо-русский большой универсальный переводческий словарь > unless and until
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5
unless and until
Новый англо-русский словарь > unless and until
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6
unless and until
после того как, не раньше чем
Англо-русский современный словарь > unless and until
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7
unless and until
English-Russian combinatory dictionary > unless and until
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8
unless and until it has been approved by the electors
Универсальный англо-русский словарь > unless and until it has been approved by the electors
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9
unless and until the goods are ascertained
Универсальный англо-русский словарь > unless and until the goods are ascertained
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10
unless
unless [ənˊles]
2.
prep
кро́ме, за исключе́нием
Англо-русский словарь Мюллера > unless
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unless
ənˈles
1. союз если не;
пока не I shall not go unless the weather is fine. ≈ Я не поеду, если не будет хорошей погоды. unless and until ≈ до тех пор пока
2. предл. кроме, за исключением Syn: but
2.
если не, пока не — I will come * I change my mind я приду, если не передумаю — * you start at once, you will be late если (только) вы не отправитесь немедленно, вы опоздаете — * I am mistaken если я не ошибаюсь разве только, если только;
не считая — we had no snow this winter, * in the mountain districts в этом году у нас не было снега, если не считать горных районов — * it be for Нenry nobody saw it никто не видел этого, разве только Генри — he never does anything * compelled to он ничего не делает, пока его не заставишь — pay them * you hear to the contrary заплатите им, если только не получите других указаний — I shan’t come, * you really want me to я не приду, разве что вы очень этого захотите;
я приду только в том случае, если вы этого действительно хотите — * and until только после того как;
не раньше чем — * and until it has been approved by the electors только после того, как это будет одобрено избирателями в грам. знач. сущ.: «если не», оговорка — let’s have no *es давайте без оговорок (устаревшее) кроме, за исключением
unless cj если не;
пока не;
I shall not go unless the weather is fine я не поеду, если не будет хорошей погоды
unless cj если не;
пока не;
I shall not go unless the weather is fine я не поеду, если не будет хорошей погоды ~ prep кроме, за исключением
~ and until до тех пор покаБольшой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > unless
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12
unless
1. [ʌn|ʹles,ən{ʹles}-]
1. если не, пока не
I will come unless I change my mind — я приду, если не передумаю
unless you start at once, you will be late — если (только) вы не отправитесь немедленно, вы опоздаете
2. разве только, если только; не считая
we had no snow this winter, unless in the mountain districts — в этом году у нас не было снега, если не считать горных районов
unless it be for Henry nobody saw it — никто не видел этого, разве только Генри
he never does anything unless compelled to — он ничего не делает, пока /если/ его не заставишь
pay them unless you hear to the contrary — заплатите им, если только не получите других /противоположных/ указаний
I shan’t come, unless you really want me to — я не приду, разве что вы очень этого захотите; я приду только в том случае, если вы этого действительно хотите
unless and until — только после того как; не раньше чем
unless and until it has been approved by the electors — только после того, как это будет одобрено избирателями
2. [ʌn|ʹles,ən{ʹles}-]
арх.
кроме, за исключением
НБАРС > unless
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13
unless
[ʌn’les]
cj
если не, пока не, разве только
I’ll come unless I change my mind. — Я приду, если только не передумаю.
He never does anything unless it is necessary. — Он ничего не делает, если в этом нет необходимости.
Let’s play tennis unless you are too tired. — Давай поиграем в теннис, если ты не очень устал.
I shall not go unless the weather is fine. — Я не поеду, если не будет хорошей погоды.
USAGE:
(1.) Союз unless, как и его эквивалент if… not, соединяет главное предложение и условное придаточное предложение: We may be late unless we hurry. Мы можем опоздать, если не поторопимся. Если общее значение условия сводится к формуле «событие состоится, если ему что-то (кто-то) не помешает», то возможно употребление и союза unless и союза if… not: Let’s have dinner unless you are too tired/if you are not too tired. Давайте обедать, если вы не очень устали. I’ll call him unless he comes earlier/if he doesn’t come earlier. Я ему позвоню, если он не придет раньше (моего звонка). (2.) Союз unless не употребляется, если действие главного предложения представляет собой предполагаемый результат действия условного придаточного предложения. В этом случае используется только if… not: She’d be pretty if she didn’t wear so much make up. Она была бы вполне хорошенькой, если бы так безудержно не пользовалась косметикой. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t have an accident. Я не удивлюсь, если он попадет в аварию. (3.) See after, cj
English-Russian combinatory dictionary > unless
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unless
[ənˈles]
unless cj если не; пока не; I shall not go unless the weather is fine я не поеду, если не будет хорошей погоды unless cj если не; пока не; I shall not go unless the weather is fine я не поеду, если не будет хорошей погоды unless prep кроме, за исключением unless and until до тех пор пока
English-Russian short dictionary > unless
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15
unless
[ən’les], [ʌn-]
1.союз
1) если не; пока не
I shall not go unless the weather is fine. — Я не поеду, если не будет хорошей погоды.
2) если только, разве только
2.
предл.
кроме, исключая, за исключением
They say nothing unless a mere «yes, Sir» or «no, Madam». (D. A. Art Converse) — Они не говорят ничего, кроме «да, сэр» или «нет, мэм».
Syn:
Англо-русский современный словарь > unless
-
16
unless
если не; пока не; I shall not go unless the weather is fine я не поеду, если не будет хорошей погоды; unless and until до тех пор пока
кроме, за исключением
* * *
(2) разве только
* * *
* * *
[un·less || ən’les]
если не, пока не* * *
1. союз
1) если не; пока не
2) устар. чтобы не, как бы не
2. предл.
кроме, исключая, за исключениемНовый англо-русский словарь > unless
-
17
until and unless
Универсальный англо-русский словарь > until and unless
-
18
so long as
Англо-русский синонимический словарь > so long as
-
19
conditional exclusion
условное исключение, условное выдворение
Pursuant to subsection 32.1(5) of the Immigration Act, as enacted by S.C. 1988, c. 35, no conditional exclusion order made against a claimant is effective unless and until … — В соответствии с подразделом 32.1(5) Закона об иммиграции, принятого Верховным Су-дом в 1988 году, гл. 35, предписание об условном выдворении заявителя недействительно пока …
Англо-русский универсальный дополнительный практический переводческий словарь И. Мостицкого > conditional exclusion
-
20
state
- энергетический уровень
- характеристика
- формулировать
- утверждать
- точно устанавливать
- состояние
- режим работы
- государство
государство
—
[ http://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/alphabetic?langcode=en]EN
state
A people permanently occupying a fixed territory bound together by common law, habits and custom into one body politic exercising, through the medium of an organized government, independent sovereignty and control over all persons and things within its boundaries, unless or until authority is ceded to a federation or union of other states. (Source: BLD)
[http://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/alphabetic?langcode=en]Тематики
- охрана окружающей среды
EN
- state
DE
- Staat
FR
- état
режим работы
—
[Интент]EN
- action
- Beh
- behavior
- behaviour
- condition
- duty
- method of working
- mode
- mode of behavior
- mode of behaviour
- mode of operation
- mode of working
- operating conditions
- operating mode
- operating regime
- operating running regime
- operation
- practice
- regime
- routine
- routine of work
- run
- schedule
- state
- type of operation
характеристика
Отличительное свойство.
Примечания
1. Характеристика может быть присущей или присвоенной.
2. Характеристика может быть качественной или количественной.
3. Существуют различные классы характеристик, такие как:
— физические (например, механические, электрические, химические или биологические характеристики);
— органолептические (например, связанные с запахом, осязанием, вкусом, зрением, слухом);
— этические (например, вежливость, честность, правдивость);
— временные(например, пунктуальность, безотказность, доступность);
— эргономические(например, физиологические характеристики или связанные с безопасностью человека);
— функциональные(например, максимальная скорость самолета).
[ ГОСТ Р ИСО 9000-2008]характеристика
—
[IEV number 151-15-34]EN
characteristic
relationship between two or more variable quantities describing the performance of a device under given conditions
[IEV number 151-15-34]FR
(fonction) caractéristique, f
relation entre deux ou plusieurs variables décrivant le fonctionnement d’un dispositif dans des conditions spécifiées
[IEV number 151-15-34]Тематики
- системы менеджмента качества
- электротехника, основные понятия
EN
- ability
- attribute
- behavior
- behaviour
- categorization
- character
- characteristic
- characteristic curve
- curve
- description
- feature
- letter of reference
- parameter
- pattern
- performance
- property
- qualification
- quality
- rating
- record
- response
- signature
- state
- testimonial
DE
- Charakteristik
FR
- (fonction) caractéristique, f
Англо-русский словарь нормативно-технической терминологии > state
См. также в других словарях:
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unless and until — is an established expression which, like as and when, serves to intensify doubt about the outcome. It occurs in alternative forms such as unless or until, until or unless, and so on: • Until and unless he discovered who he was, everything was… … Modern English usage
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unless and until — See unless, unless and until … Dictionary of problem words and expressions
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unless, unless and until — Unless means except on the condition that. Its use as a synonym for without is nonstandard. Say I will not go unless you go with me, not I will not go without you go with me. Unless and until is a nonstandard phrase; the terms overlap. Do not say … Dictionary of problem words and expressions
-
unless and until — One or the other, please … Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors
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unless and until — One or the other, please … Dictionary of troublesome word
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until — until, till 1. Till is not a shortened form of until but is the older word; the un of until adds the element ‘up to, as far as’. The two words can both be used as prepositions (e.g. until/till tomorrow) or conjunctions (e.g. until/till we reach… … Modern English usage
-
unless — See unless, unless and until … Dictionary of problem words and expressions
-
LEGAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM — UNDER THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE (1876–1917) Judiciary Throughout the period from the promulgation of the Ottoman Constitution of 1876 until the present time there have been both secular and religious courts exercising jurisdiction in the territory of… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
-
HISTORICAL SURVEY: THE STATE AND ITS ANTECEDENTS (1880–2006) — Introduction It took the new Jewish nation about 70 years to emerge as the State of Israel. The immediate stimulus that initiated the modern return to Zion was the disappointment, in the last quarter of the 19th century, of the expectation that… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
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Law, Crime, and Law Enforcement — ▪ 2006 Introduction Trials of former heads of state, U.S. Supreme Court rulings on eminent domain and the death penalty, and high profile cases against former executives of large corporations were leading legal and criminal issues in 2005.… … Universalium
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Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works — Berne Convention redirects here. For other uses, see Berne Convention (disambiguation). Berne Convention signatory countries (in blue). The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, usually known as the Berne Convention … Wikipedia
Unless and until are subordinating conjunctions, which have conditional connotations, so they are quite easily misconstrued. Unless refers to a conjunction that implies an exception, to the given statement. On the other hand, until is both a preposition and a conjunction at the same time that expresses continuance of an action up to a specified time. Now let’s take a look at these examples, to understand their differences:
- You will not get the first prize unless and until you try hard to win the race.
- The parcel will not be handed over to the recipient unless and until the recipient signs the acknowledgement.
Here, in the given example, unless denotes a precondition, whereas until means till the time. Have a look at the article to understand the difference between them clearly.
Content: Unless Vs Until
- Comparison Chart
- Definition
- Key Differences
- Examples
- How to remember the difference
Comparison Chart
| Basis for Comparison | Unless | Until |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Unless refers to a precondition, it means except if. | Until implies up to the point or time given, i.e. before that. |
| Pronunciation | ʌnˈlɛs | ənˈtɪl |
| Part of speech | Conjunction | Preposition and Conjunction |
| Usage | It is used to institute the only condition in which the indicated event will not occur. | It is used to highlight the time that took place prior to the happening of incident. |
| Examples | You will not pass the examination, unless you study hard. | We will wait for Simon, until she arrives. |
| I do not pick calls in the office, unless it is important. | Continue reading the lesson, until you get its essence. | |
| Unless you provide the required documents, the bank is not going to grant you loan. | Grace is not in India, until June. |
Definition of Unless
The simple meaning of unless is except if, which implies a precondition that is required to be satisfied. It is a conjunction which is used to add conditional clauses in a sentence. Now let’s understand where to use unless in our sentences:
- It expresses that something is possible or is true, in a particular situation only:
- You can’t get admission in Delhi university unless you have scored good grades in the higher secondary examination.
- No one can help you unless you tell us the problem.
- It is used to mention the only situation, in which something is not possible:
- I can meet you on Monday unless my relatives arrive.
- You can go for a trip in July unless your exams are scheduled in that month.
Definition of Until
The word until means, up to the particular time or event. It is used in sentences to denote how long the situation continues. Now let’s discuss where can we use ‘until’ in our sentences:
- It can be used as a preposition to mean up to:
- Shreya watched T.V. until 4 am.
- We were on a trip until Monday.
- It can also be used as a conjunction to associate an event with a particular point or moment in time.
- No one is allowed to leave the classroom until the exam was over.
- Sarah can’t vote until she turns 18.
- David stayed with us in the hospital, until my brother was discharged.
The points given below explain the difference between unless and until in detail:
- The word ‘unless’ denotes a precondition to the statement given, it means except if. The word ‘until’ is used to represent a specific time, or a time limit, up to which something must happen.
- Unless is just a conjunction, which joins two sentences. On the other hand, until is both a conjunction and a preposition, which is not only used to join two sentences but also a preposition which is used to express the relation of the noun or pronoun with an element in the clause.
- Unless is used in the sentences to introduce a precondition, in which the given event is possible. Conversely, until is used to emphasize the time that occurs before the happening of the event.
Examples
Unless
- Goods will not be delivered unless the amount is paid in cash.
- Alisha would not have called Joe unless you had advised it.
- You should call the doctor unless she is is absolutely fine.
Until
- Once Steffy starts playing badminton, she will continue until she wins.
- Maya didn’t sleep until 2’0 clock, waiting for his husband to arrive.
- The employees cannot take leave until the project is complete.
How to remember the difference
A great tip to memorize the difference between unless and until is to understand what they mean, i.e. while unless means except that, until means before that. So, in short, unless is an indicator of an exception of the given statement, whereas until sets the time limit for the event.
In English grammar, Until and Unless are identified as subordinating conjunctions. They are normally used to join two or more than two sentences. Look at the following sentences:
- Stay here quietly until I ensure your safety.
- You can’t realise your dream unless you are honest and hardworking.
In the above examples, the word Until is connecting two clauses/sentences i.e. “Stay here quietly” and “I ensure your safety”. Similarly the word Unless is joining two clauses/sentences i.e. “You can’t realize your dream” and “you are honest and hardworking.”
Where lies the difference between these two subordinating conjunctions? We shall now discuss in detail with examples and try to find out the core meanings of Until and Unless and the situations where they can be used.
As we have discussed earlier that the word Until is a conjunction and connects two or more than two sentences. Now we shall proceed with the core meaning of this conjunction and the situation where it is used.
The word Until as a conjunction expresses time and is used in the sense of “Up to the time” in a sentence. It has a negative meaning. Therefore, the negative word “Not” is not used with Until. It conveys that a particular thing will occur but when it is going to occur, is quite uncertain. Whereas the word Unless as a conjunction is used in the sense of “If not” in a sentence. It has a negative meaning and expresses a condition that may or may not occur. In simple words, we can say that the word Until is a conjunction of time, and the word Unless is a conjunction of condition. Look at the following sentences and try to identify differences.
Until in a sentence
- We should wait until the rain stops. (Expresses Time)
- I won’t leave you until you finish your work.
- He will not go abroad until he gets married.
- The officer can’t initiate any action against him until he reaches here.
- Please stay in the shed until it gets dark.
- Wait until I return.
- You will not get to play with your ball until you complete your assignment.
- The company will not refund your money until you send the original bill.
- I can’t start work on this project until it is approved by the competant authority.
- You have to wait until you are called.
Unless in a sentence
- My business will collapse unless you help me. (Expresses condition)
- You can’t apply for this post unless you are a graduate.
- The doctor will not operate unless she deposits the fees.
- Unless he compromises, the dispute will not be settled.
- Unless they report the officer, they will be in trouble.
- Merry can’t pass the examination, unless she joins the coaching institute.
- Don’t turn off the television unless the show ends.
- Unless you pay in full, we can’t ensure the guarantee of this device.
- The lender will not provide you with a loan unless you show them your income proof.
- The employer will not promote you unless you complete this project.
Until as a Preposition
The word Until also functions as a preposition and is used in the sense of “Up to” in a sentence. It is always used before a noun or pronoun to show its relation with the other words in a sentence. For example:
- The captain of the Titanic continued sending SOS until his death.
- Danny works in his office until 9:00 p.m.
- The guest will stay in the hotel until next monday.
- I could not get a seat in the train until Luxemburg.
- Lucy will get no allowances until her retirement.
- She is unmarried until now.
- The child listented to the story until midnight.
Unless and Until – Can we use both of them together in a sentence?
In our day-to-day life, we hear people using a set phrase of conjunctions “Unless and Until” either in speech or writing. It is frequently used during conversation. Now the question arises if it is semantically correct. Can we use two conjunctions together in a sentence? Some grammarians are of the opinion that it is grammatically incorrect and some say that it can be used only during the conversation but not in writing. Since the opinion of the experts differs in this regard, we can only conclude keeping in view the general acceptance of this phrase that it can be used only for the purpose of emphasis. For example;
- I will not resign from the post unless and until I complete 35 years of my service. (Emphasis)
- Parents will not permit their children to join the schools unless and until the Covid pandemic persists in the country. (Emphasis)
- The officer will not release his salary unless and until he asks for the forgiveness. (Emphasis)
- John will not be permitted to take the examinaion unless and until he pays all the dues. (Emphasis)
- Unless and until you realize your mistake, you will not be allowed to join the party. (Emphasis)
- The farmers will keep on protesting against the government unless and until their demans are accepted. (Emphasis)
- The candidates have to stay in the examination hall unless and until the invigilator collects the answer sheets. (Emphasis)
- CBSE will not issue any certificate unless and until the teacher completes the online course in teaching pedagogy. (Emphasis)
- I will not go anywhere unless and until you refund my money. (Emphasis)
- Unless and untill I am paid handsomely, I will not do any extra work. (Emphasis)
Unless and until or Until and unless – Which is in proper sequence?
There is another query from the readers regarding the proper sequence of these two conjunctions whether it should be written or spoken as “Unless and until” or Until and unless”. Which of the two is correct? Now I tell you the correct proper sequence of this set phrase in a layman’s lingo. Try to understand with the help of the following example:
- Using the sequence “Until and unless” would be just like as you say – “John killed his friend and severely thrashed him.”
- Using the sequence “Unless and until” would be just like as you say – “John severely thrashed his friend and killed him.”
Which of the sequence do you think, is most appropriate. Definitely, the second example seems to be correct and in proper sequence. Now it is clear that we have to avoid the use of the sequence “Until and unless” as it seems to be quite irrelevant.
There are some other phrases like “Unless and Until” that are equally acceptable in the English language. Grammar experts discourage this redundancy but have to accept it as it has become a part of our life. Look at the following phrases:
- Over and above
- Anyone and everyone
- Any and all
- Forever and always
- Each and everyone
The words unless and until are often used together but their meanings are different, and often confused. Unless refers to a condition not being met while until refers to a time threshold not being crossed.
Comparison chart
 |
Unless | Until |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Except for a specified condition. | Up to the time of (something happening); Before (a time). |
| Example | I will quit my job unless I get a pay hike. | You can go out and play until it gets dark. |
| Antonym | if | since |
| Pronunciation | IPA: /ənˈlɛs/, /ʌnˈlɛs/ | enPR: ŭntĭl’, IPA: /ənˈtɪl/, SAMPA: /@n»tIl/ |
Meaning of Unless vs Until
The word until is used in the context of time and roughly means before and up to the time. For example,
- I cannot get to the TPS reports until next week.
- I lived with my parents until I was 17.
The word unless is used in the context of a precondition and means if this condition is not met. For example,
- I will not shoot that squirrel unless someone puts a gun to my head.
- Peter will not go to the picnic unless his dog is allowed to accompany him.
More examples
Here are some more examples for until and unless:
- The politician was afraid she would lose public support unless she expressed opposition to increased taxes.
- The city threatened to sue the factory for environmental pollution unless the company agreed to clean up the lake and install better filtration systems.
- The workers said they would continue to strike until their demands for a safer workplace were met.
- The party continued until the wee hours of the morning.
- Paul refused to take a shower until the water heater was fixed.
- The bank would repossess the car unless Neil made his loan payments.
Using the phrase ‘unless and until’
The phrase unless and until is commonly used, which often leads to people thinking that the two words mean the same thing. However, this phrase should be used when the situation calls for both a context of time and a precondition. For example, Paul’s mother told him that he will not get to play with any of his toys unless and until his homework is completed. In this sentence, completing the homework is a precondition, as well as connotes the time horizon after which Paul is allowed to play with his toys.
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Here I will explain the difference between unless and until. I also explain the difference between till and until. Includes a short video lesson.
If you want to know when to use into and onto in English, visit this page
Conjunctions until and unless quite often confuse English learners. So today, I will clarify the difference between unless, until and till and give you plenty of examples.
Table of Contents
Harry
Harry is a native English teacher with over 10 years of experience both online and in face-to-face lessons. With his extensive experience in business, he specialises in Business English lessons but happily teaches ESL students with any English learning needs.
Difference between Unless, Until and Till
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UNLESS and UNTIL seem to cause students a lot of trouble even though the words are no way connected.
In fact, the only connection they have is that they’re both described in the English language as conjunctions.
We use both UNLESS and UNTIL in sentences to join some thoughts. So there’s a commonality between them, but in every other respect, they are very different.
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unless
So let’s look first of all at UNLESS.
When we’re using UNLESS, we don’t use it with any negative word. It’s not followed with a negative.
We can’t say:
❌ unless not
❌ unless no
❌ unless I didn’t
You can only follow UNLESS with a positive.
Also, you can’t follow it with WILL.
❌ Unless I will
Let me give you an example…
You can’t play football outside unless you have finished your homework.
Here we’re being very specific. We’re telling the person what he has to do if he wants to play outside.
And this is the actual comparison we can make because it’s very similar in some ways to the word IF. It’s conditional. So you’re introducing the condition.
He cannot play outside unless he finishes his homework.
You could rewrite that and say:
If you finish your homework, you can play outside.
So there you put a positive.
So IF and UNLESS are opposites, but they give you the exact same meaning in the sentence.
Let me just expand on that again for you. So we’ve said you can’t use a negative after UNLESS.
Let’s look at the example I’ve given you:
You can’t play football unless you do your homework first.
In this sentence, the negative comes first.
And now have a look at how I twisted it around if you want to use the positive with IF.
If you do your homework then you can play outside.
In this sentence, the condition comes first and the positive comes second.
Can you see the difference?
So UNLESS and IF in that situation are both opposites but they are giving you the same meaning.
One with a positive spin – IF.
One with the negative spin – UNLESS.
Difference between Unless and Until
until
Now let’s look at UNTIL. And as we said before, it’s a conjunction.
It’s different than UNLESS and when we’re using UNTIL it’s constrained by time. It’s always about restriction.
So let’s give you a quick example.
1️⃣ I lived with my grandmother until I was 15.
What does it mean?
It means that for a long part of your childhood, maybe from a young age of two or three, you lived with somebody other than your parents, in this case, your grandmother until you were 15. So all to that age, to 15 and then from 15, something changed. Perhaps you went back and live with your parents or you went somewhere else. But the time constraint is that period of your life from early up to your mid teens or 15 you were, you spent that time with your grandmother.
So just to make sure that you actually understand this in the best way possible. When we’re talking about UNTIL, as I said, it’s time constraints.
It’s constrained before and up to the particular time, but not after.
Difference between Unless and Until
2️⃣ I don’t have any money for the shops. You’ll have to wait until I get paid at the end of the week.
So here the time constraint is up to the end of the week, whether that’s Friday or Saturday, whenever you get paid. So before that and up to that, you can’t have any money because I don’t have any. After that I will have money.
3️⃣ I’ve never been in the USA until last year.
So up to last year, whatever year that was, that the year today is 2019, last year would have been 2018. So up to and until, before 2018 you had never been in the USA and then it changed.
4️⃣ Oh, can’t you wait until your father comes home?
So that is time constrained, it is a time restriction. You don’t know what time he’s going to be home and they’re not telling you what time it is now, but it’s that restriction until he gets home. And when he gets home, you can ask him and then he’ll probably help you.
Difference between Until and Till
difference between until and till
And finally, then I just want to give you a little tip as to how to use UNTIL and TILL. First of all, be careful with the spelling of that.
The good news is that they’re exactly the same and there’s no need to be confused. The only difference is that UNTIL is a little bit more formal and TILL is very informal. But you can use either of them.
If you’re writing a letter, and you’re writing to somebody important, then I would suggest you use UNTIL.
If you’re speaking in an informal way, as most of us do now, TILL is absolutely acceptable. And you don’t have to use until. They have exactly the same meaning.
Okay, well, here we are at the end of yet another lesson. And I hope you have enjoyed it. And I’ve explained to you properly the difference between unless and until, and also giving you the information about the difference between until and till.
Join me again soon.
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Last Update: Jan 03, 2023
This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!
Asked by: Santino Lindgren
Score: 5/5
(30 votes)
“Until” is a conjunction that is used to refer to the time that took place before an incident while the word “unless” is a conjunction that is used in the same manner as the words “if” and “except.” 2. “Until” means “up to the time” while “unless” means “under the circumstances.”
Is it until unless or unless until?
The words unless and until are often used together but their meanings are different, and often confused. Unless refers to a condition not being met while until refers to a time threshold not being crossed.
How do you use until and unless?
# He will not come to your home unless you go to his. # Bank will not provide you loan unless you show them your original identities. # He will not trust you unless you prove yourself. Until is used up to the particular time, and is already considered negative form in connectors, so don’t use ‘Not’ with Until sentence.
Can we use unless and until in one sentence?
Until and unless can be used together in this complimentary way, Anil, as a sort of set phrase, but the meaning of these two conjunctions is, of course different.
What is the use of till and until?
Until indicates when something will happen, begin, or end. Till means the same thing as until. Till is not an abbreviation of until—it’s actually older than until—and it should not be written with an apostrophe.
40 related questions found
How is until used in a sentence?
Until (conjunction)
Until means ‘up to the event mentioned‘. I’ll stay here until you come back. We have to wait until he arrives. We do not use will after until when speaking about the future.
Where do we use unless?
We use the conjunction unless to mean ‘except if’. The clause which follows unless is a subordinate clause (sc): it needs a main clause (mc) to make a complete sentence. When unless comes before the main clause, we use a comma: Unless [SC]it rains, [MC]we’ll go for a picnic by the river tomorrow.
How do you use unless in a sentence examples?
Using Unless
- Present. You will damage your health unless you stop smoking. = you will damage your health if you do not stop smoking.
- Past. Unless she was working late, she would be here. = If she was not working, she would would be here.
- Past Perfect. I wouldn’t have taken Paul unless his car hadn’t broken down.
Which is correct until or untill?
Prescriptive spelling rules usually insist that until and till are correct, untill and til or ’til are wrong. A quick check on Google shows that until spellings outnumber untill spellings by about 100 to 1, till spellings outnumber til spellings by 1.2 to 1 and until outnumbers till by 2 to 1.
Can you use till instead of until?
Until, till, and ’til are all used in modern English to denote when something will happen. Until and till are both standard, but what might be surprising is that till is the older word. ‘Til, with one L, is an informal and poetic shortening of until. The form ’till, with an additional L, is rarely if ever used today.
How do you use until?
We use until as a subordinating conjunction to connect an action or an event to a point in time:
- Let’s wait here till the rain stops. ( …
- I can’t wait until the summer holidays begin.
- We’ll sit here till Donna has finished.
- He was the headteacher until he retired in 1968.
Is it okay to say not unless?
«Not unless» is a little more situational. You would probably only use it if asked a yes/no question, to which the answer is «no» with an exception. For example, «are you going tomorrow?» «Not unless there’s food.» In this case, the person is saying he will only go if there is food.
How do you start a sentence with unless?
If you want to use UNLESS in this way, you can use this word at the beginning of the sentence or in the middle of the sentence.
- Unless I had had no homework, I would come with you.
- Unless my manager told me that I have to work until midnight, you would invite me, right?
- She would be here unless her mom allowed to be.
How do you explain unless?
The easiest way to explain “unless” is to say it is the equivalent of a negative if-clause. If I do NOT win the lottery, I will not be able to buy a car. Unless I win the lottery, I will not be able to buy a car. This explanation is a good introduction to unless-clauses, but it is not the whole story.
Is Until including or excluding?
Until, which means up to, generally includes the specified moment.
What does until after mean?
2. Here, until would mean the registration happens at the end of specified time period, possibly sometime after. Until after put more emphasis on the fact that the registration could happen anytime after the end of the period.
What is the difference between till and to?
Either construction is fine. In my mind using to is preferable, but until or till are acceptable alternatives. Till and until are synonyms in this context. They mean «up to a specific point in time» (see: ODO).
What does Intil mean?
Definition of «intil» [intil]
Into; in. Unto.
What is a synonym for changing?
- alter,
- make over,
- modify,
- recast,
- redo,
- refashion,
- remake,
- remodel,
What is a synonym for when?
In this page you can discover 36 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for when, like: just as soon as, while, at the moment that, during, at which instant?, in what period?, on the condition that, meanwhile, immediately upon, although and at the same time that.