The ESL Teacher Kenn Podcast

welcome to another episode of the

ESL teacher kennn podcast

in today's advanced class

we will see the difference between if and unless

thank you so much for being here

we will be going to page 252

of our English sentence structure book

if you are using the PDF

that is available in my podcast for free

you can go to page 265

and as we mentioned earlier

we'll be talking about the difference

between if and unless

the major difference is going to be

let's say being quite opposites

meaning that unless usually means if not

now I know that it's not so easy to absorb

without a little practice

so first we're going to go ahead and read

these two ideas inside (the box) and I will

go ahead and give you guys some time to repeat after me

let's do this

it says John will stay home if the weather isn't nice

John will stay home unless the weather is nice

so what are we trying to say in these two sentences

in this case

the if is saying "in the case that"

okay so John will stay home in the case that

the weather isn't nice

and then unless means the opposite "except if" okay?

so John will stay home except if the weather is nice

and because I know that the best

way to internalize this knowledge is by practice

let's go to

the exercise that is right below that box in the book

we will take care of exercise one

we are going to see if it's using unless or if

and we're going to change it to the opposite

in the next statement

very important that we are not only going to change

the if or the unless

but we are also going to change the second idea

from positive to negative and vice versa

okay let's look at the examples

the first one says

John will buy a new bicycle unless he can fix

his old one today

so right here again

if we say unless as in except

if, you would say John will buy a new bicycle

except if he can fix his old one today

for the sake of the exercise

what we're going to do is we're going to change

the unless for an iF

and we are going to change can

which is affirmative for can't

let's give it a shot

it would say

John will buy a new bicycle if he can't fix

his old one today

again changing if for

in the case that John will buy a new bicycle

in the case that he can't fix his old one today

let's read the second example

and it says John usually goes to the movies on Friday

if he doesn't have to study

again if for unless doesn't have for has

John usually goes to the movies on Friday

unless he has to study

let's go ahead with No. 1

I will say the sentence

and give you a moment to give me the correct change

and then I will repeat the change

so that you can repeat after me

and make any corrections necessary so

No. 1 John might go to New York

unless it costs too much

John might go to New York

if it doesn't cost too much repeat

No.2 Paul will never know where you live

if you don't tell him

Paul will never know where you live

unless you tell him. repeat

No.3 says I am going to Florida

unless I get a good job here

what would you say?

I am going to Florida

if I don't get a good job here. repeat

4 I can't buy

any new shoes if you don't give me any money

I can't buy

any new shoes unless you give me some money. repeat

Joe will take the bus unless he has a date

what would you say?

Joe will take the bus if he doesn't have a date repeat

and No. 6 I can't work these algebra problems if

you don't help me

what would you say?

I can't work these algebra problems unless you help me

now for the second part of this exercise

we are going to change the first clause

or the first idea instead of changing the second one

from affirmative to negative

we continue switching if for unless and vice versa

No.7 says John will go swimming if this sun comes out

so in this case

the example is saying

John won't go swimming unless the sun comes out

so again we are going to change the first clause

or the first part and not the second one

No.8 says John will call Mary if he has time

what would you say?

John won't call Mary unless he has time repeat

No.9 he won't study unless he has to what will you say

he will study if he has to. repeat

No.10 says I like to go swimming if

the water is warm enough

what will you say?

I don't like to go swimming

unless the water is warm enough. repeat

11 I can't work these algebra problems

unless you help me

what would you say?

I can work these algebra problems if you help me repeat

and No. 12 I'll go to the movies if I

finish my homework

what would you say?

I won't go to the movies

unless I finish my homework. repeat

and in case you would like to have more practice

you can go to the English Sentence Practices book

on page 312

there you will have written practice with if and unless

in Exercises 1 and two

and that is everything for today's class

thank you very much for being here

don't forget to subscribe

like and comment and remember that English is easy

you just need to practice

see you next class!