What is the usage of unless?

Answer 1

Unless is generally used in conditional sentences...say for example you will fail unless you study hard which is equivalent to saying you will fail if you don't work hard...This is a spartan thumb rule equating Unless to if.....not. But it cant be profusely used everywhere,there are few grammatical rules to follow....I can explain with few examples ,say,

1.You will get wet if you don't take an umbrella.....or we can rewrite it as you will get wet (A) unless you take an umbrella (B).The A part which is getting wet will only be circumvented if B doesn't stop it,means it takes umbrella.

2. He will fail exams(A) if (he doesn't study) B,which can be rewritten as He will not fail if he studies...We can use Unless here "He will fail unless he studies.

3.She wont arrive in time unless she hurries up.....she wont arrive in time(A) unless (she hurries up)...(B). If (B) doesn't stop that means if she hurries up,she will arrive in time.

4. Environment will fail to sustain unless some mitigation programmes are proposed....which means environment will sustain with some mitigation programmes.Here again,stopping B,means providing mitigation programes will help the environment to sustain.

Thus,to encapsulate it,always use unless,if A happens if it is not stopped by B....

Hope this helps

Dr Saira Malik

Answer 2

"Unless" is used to introduce a condition in which a particular situation will occur or a particular action will be taken if the condition is not met. It is often used in negative sentences to convey the idea of an exception or exclusion.