UNLESS / AS LONG AS

Welcome to your “Unless” / “As long as” lesson! In this topic we talk about:
• Using “Unless”
• “As long” / “Provided”
Take the quizzes when you’re ready! If you’re having problems, use the comment box to contact our English Teachers.

Using “Unless”

Have a look at this example:

This gym is for members only.

“You can’t come in unless you are a member.”

This means

“You can’t come in except if you are a member.”

or

“You can only come in if you are a member.”

Here are a few more examples:

“I’ll be late for dinner unless the meeting is cancelled.”

“Don’t tell James unless he asks you about it.”

“We can take the bus, unless you fancy walking.”

Sometimes, you can replace “unless” with “if … not”:

“Unless she leaves now, she’ll be late.”

or

“If she doesn’t leave now, she’ll be late.”

“As long” / “Provided”

“As long as” / “so long as” / “provided (that)” / “providing (that)” all mean “if”:

“You can use my phone as long as you’re careful.”
“You can use my phone so long as you’re careful.”
“You can use my phone providing that you’re careful.”
“You can use my phone provided that you’re careful.”

“As long as the hotel isn’t expensive, we’ll stay there for a while.”
“So long as the hotel isn’t expensive, we’ll stay there for a while.”
“Providing the hotel isn’t expensive, we’ll stay there for a while.”
“Provided the hotel isn’t expensive, we’ll stay there for a while.”

When you’re talking about the future, do not use “will” after these expressions:

“We’re not going out unless it stops raining.”

(not “We’re not going out unless it will stop raining.”)