Showing Direct Contrast: While
While is used to show direct contrast: “this”
is exactly the opposite as “that.”
• Mary is rich, while John is poor.
• John is poor, while Mary is rich.
• While John is poor, Mary is rich.
• While Mary is rich, John is poor.
Compare:
The phone rang while I was studying.
All four sentences have the same meaning.
* When using while for direct contrast, a
comma is often used even if the while
clause comes second.
Reminder:
While is also used in time clauses and
means “during that time.”
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Practice 1 - Direct Contrast: While
Combine each pair of sentences with the words in
parentheses.
1. Some people are tall while others are ____.
a. intelligent
b. thinc. short
d.box
large
2. A
is square, while ____.
a. a rectangle has four sides
b. my village has a town square in the center
c. we use envelopes for letters
d. a circle is round
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Practice 1 - Direct Contrast: While
Combine each pair of sentences with the words in
parentheses.
3. While some parts of the world get an abundance of rain,
others ____.
a. are warm and humid
b. are cold and wetc. get little or none
d. some
get a lot
4. In
nations the favorite beverage is coffee, while ____,
a. I like tea
b. it has caffeine
c. in others it is tea
d. they drink tea
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Practice 1 - Direct Contrast: While
Combine each pair of sentences with the words in
parentheses.
5. Some people like cream and sugar in their coffee, while
____.
a. others like it black
b. others drink hot coffeec. milk is good in coffee too
6. Steve
is an
storyteller and conversationalist,
d. sugar
caninteresting
cause cavities
while his brother ____.
a. is a newspaper reporter
b. bores others by talking about himself all the time
c. has four children
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Practice 2: While
Work with a partner to complete each sentence. Share your
completions with the class.
1. Some people have curly hair, while...
2. Some people prefer to live in the country, while...
3. While some people know only their native language...
4. The climate at sea level at the equator is always hot, while the
climate at the North and South poles...
5. Some people..., while...
6. Some countries..., while....
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Expressing Conditions in Adverb
Clauses: If-Clauses
If-clauses present possible
conditions. The main clause
expresses results.
•If it rains tomorrow, I will
take my umbrella.
A present tense, not a future
tense, is used in an if-clause
even though the verb in the ifclause may refer to a future
event or situation.
Words that introduce adverb clauses of condition (if-clauses)
if
whether or not
even if
in case
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Practice 3: If
Make sentences with if using the given conditions.
1. It may be cold tomorrow.
2. The teacher may not be in class tomorrow.
3. you will stay up until two in the morning.
4. Maybe the sun will be shining when you get up tomorrow
morning.
5. Predictions about global warming may be correct.
6. Think of something that may happen this year in world
politics.
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Practice: Whether or Not and Even If
Say whether the following sentences are true for Joseph.
SITUATION: If Joseph gets married, he will be happy. If he
doesn’t get married, he will be happy.
1. Joseph will be happy if he doesn’t get married.
2. If he gets married, Joseph won’t be happy.
3. Even if Joseph gets married, he won’t be happy.
4. Even if Joseph doesn’t get married, he will be happy.
5. Joseph will be happy whether or not he gets married.
6. Whether or not Joseph gets married, he will be happy.
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Expressing Conditions in Adverb
Clauses: Whether or Not and Even If
Whether or not
Whether or not expresses the idea
that neither this condition nor the that
I’m going to go swimming
condition matters; the result will be
tomorrow whether or not it is the same.
cold. OR whether or it is cold If it is cold, I’m going swimming. If it
is not cold, I’m going swimming. It
or not.
doesn’t matter.
Even if
I have decided to go swimming
tomorrow. Even if the weather is cold,
I’m going to go swimming.
Sentences with even if are close in
meaning to the sentences with whether
or not.
Even if gives the idea that a particular
condition does not matter. 9
Practice: Whether or Not and Even If
Use the given information to complete the sentences.
SITUATION: Cindy’s uncle tells a lot of jokes. Sometimes
they’re funny, and sometimes they’re not. It doesn’t matter.
1. Cindy laughs at the jokes whether... or not.
2. Cindy laughs at the jokes even if...
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Practice: Whether or Not and Even If
Use the given information to complete the sentences.
SITUATION: Maybe you are finished with the exam, and maybe
you’re not. It doesn’t matter. The time is up.
1. You have to hand in your examination paper whether... or not.
2. You have to hand in your examination paper even if...
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Practice: Whether or Not and Even If
Use the given information to complete the sentences.
SITUATION: It might rain, or it might not. We don’t want to go
camping in the rain, but it doesn’t matter.
1. We’re going to go camping whether... or not.
2. We’re going to go camping even if...
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HOMEWORK: Expressing Conditions
in Adverb Clauses: If-clauses
Write sentences with “if” using the given conditions.
1. It may be cold tomorrow.
Example - If it’s cold tomorrow, I’m going to stay home.
• The teacher may not be in class tomorrow.
• you will stay up until two in the morning.
• Maybe the sun will be shining when you get up tomorrow
morning.
• Predictions about global warming may be correct.
• Think of something that may happen this year in world politics.
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HOMEWORK: Using Whether or Not
and Even If
Use the given information to complete sentences #1-8.
SITUATION: Usually people need to graduate from school to
get a good job. Maybe Ed will graduate from school, and
maybe he won’t. It doesn’t matter because he has a good job
waiting for him in his father’s business.
1. Ed will get a good job whether or not...
2. Ed will get a good job even if...
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HOMEWORK: Using Whether or Not
and Even If
Use the given information to complete sentences #1-8.
SITUATION: Max’s family doesn’t have enough money to send
him to college. He would like to get a scholarship, but it
doesn’t matter because he’s saved some money to go to
school and has a part-time job.
3.) Max can go to school whether or not...
4.) Max can go to school even if...
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HOMEWORK: Using Whether or Not
and Even If
Use the given information to complete sentences #1-8.
SITUATION: Sometimes the weather is hot, and sometimes the
weather is cold. It doesn’t matter. My grandfather always
wears his gray sweater.
5.) My grandfather wears his gray sweater whether or not...
6.) My grandfather wears his gray sweater even if...
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HOMEWORK: Using Whether or Not
and Even If
Use the given information to complete sentences #1-8.
SITUATION: Your approval doesn’t matter to me.
7.) I’m going to marry William whether... or not.
8.) I’m going to marry William even if...
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Adverb Clauses of Condition:
Using In Case
Choose the sentence that has the same meaning as the given
sentence.
If by chance you have trouble, you can reach me at this
number.
1.) In case you have trouble, you can reach me at this number.
2.) When you have trouble, you can reach me at this number.
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Adverb Clauses of Condition:
Using In Case
In case expresses the idea that
something probably won’t
happen, but it might. In case
means “if by chance this should
happen.”
I’ll be at my uncle’s house in case
you (should) need to reach me.
NOTE: Using should in an
adverb clause emphasizes the
speaker’s uncertainty that
something will happen.
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Adverb Clauses of Condition:
Using In Case
Combine each pair of sentences. Begin your new sentence
with IN CASE.
1.) You probably won’t need to get in touch with me, but maybe
you will. If so, I’ll give you my number.
- In case you (should) need to get in touch with me, I’ll give you
my phone number.
2.) You probably won’t need to see me, but maybe you will. If so,
I’ll be in my office tomorrow morning around ten.
- In case you (should) need to see me, I’ll be in my office
tomorrow morning around ten.
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Adverb Clauses of Condition:
Using In Case and If
Complete the sentence with your own words.
1.I have my umbrella with me just in case...
2.It’s a good idea for you to keep a written record of
your credit card numbers in case...
3.I think I’d better clean up the apartment in case...
4.Are you planning to apply for a scholarship? If
so...
5.Do you have to work this Saturday? If not...
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Adverb Clauses of Condition:
Using Unless
Choose the logical completions.
1. I’ll be at work on time tomorrow if there (is, isn’t) a lot
of traffic.
2. I’ll be at work on time tomorrow unless there (is, isn’t)
a lot of traffic.
3. We’ll have the party outside unless it is (rainy, sunny).
4. We’ll have the party inside unless it is (rainy, sunny).
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Adverb Clauses of Condition:
Using Unless
I’ll go swimming unless it’s cold.
I’ll go swimming if it isn’t cold.
unless = if...not
Both messages have the same meaning.
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Adverb Clauses of Condition:
Using Unless
Complete the sentence with your own words.
1. I’m sorry, but you can’t see the doctor unless...
- I’m sorry you can’t see the doctor unless you have an
appointment.
• I can’t go to university unless...
• ...unless you put it in the refrigerator.
• Certain species of animals will soon be extinct
unless...
• Tomorrow, I’m going to... unless....
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Adverb Clauses of Condition:
Using Only If
The picnic will be cancelled only if
it rains.
• If it’s windy, we’ll go on the picnic. Only if expresses the idea that there is
• If it’s cold, we’ll go on the picnic. only one condition that will cause a
• If it’s damp and foggy, we’ll go on particular result.
the picnic.
• If it’s unbearably hot, we’ll go on
the picnic.
Only if it rains will the picnic be
cancelled.
When only if begins a sentence, the
subject and verb of the main clause are
inverted. No commas are used.
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PRACTICE: Using Only If
Say whether the sentence is true or not for this situation.
SITUATION: You can take Saturday off only if you work
Thursday.
1.) You must work Thursday if you want Saturday off.
2.) You can take Saturday off if you work another day of your
choice.
3.) If you work Thursday, you don’t have to work Saturday.
4.) You can work Thursday, but it’s not a requirement if you want
Saturday off.
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PRACTICE: Using Only If
Read the situations and complete the sentences (#1-4).
1.) SITUATION: You have to have an invitation in order to go to
the party. That is the only condition under which you will be
admitted. If you don’t have an invitation, you can’t go.
You can go to the party only if...
2.) SITUATION: You have to have a student visa to study here.
Unless you have a student visa, you can’t go to school here.
You can attend this school...
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PRACTICE: Using Only If
Read the situations and complete the sentences.
3.) SITUATION: Jimmy’s mother doesn’t want him to chew
gum, but sometimes he chews it anyway.
Jimmy... only if...
4.) SITUATION: His parents make Steve finish his homework
before he can watch TV in the evening.
Only if Steve’s homework is finished...
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