How to learn English: Hidden Conditionals

Conditionals without if. The hidden conditionals. You've learned the conditionals. You know the structures. And you even know what happens when a sentence begins with if. But there is something that I haven't told you yet. You see, sometimes if disappears. And yet, the conditional is still there. It's hidden in plain sight. Because English doesn't always announce a condition with the word if. Sometimes it uses another word, sometimes a phrase, and sometimes the condition is so well hidden that you might not even realize that you've just heard one. Welcome to the world of conditionals without if. Number one, the first secret, unless. Let's begin with one of the most useful ones, unless listen unless you hurry you'll miss the train there is no if there but there is definitely a condition in fact we could say if you don't hurry you'll miss the train so unless generally means if not listen to these sentences unless it rains we'll have dinner outside unless you practice. You won't improve. I won't tell anyone unless you want me to. Each sentence contains a condition. But if has vanished and unless has taken its place. There is one important thing to remember here because unless already contains the idea of not. We normally don't add another negative we say unless you hurry not unless you don't hurry when we mean if you don't hurry so as you can see one small word carries an entire condition inside it number two as long as the condition with a promise now imagine someone gives you the keys to their house and they say you can stay here as long as you look after the place well that sounds friendly but there is a condition hiding inside it it means you can stay here if you look after the place as long as means that something can happen on one particular condition you can borrow my car as long as you drive carefully you can go out as long as you're home by midnight i'll support you as long as you're honest with me. Notice the feeling. It's almost like a deal. This can happen, but only under this condition. Number three, provided that. The condition in the small print. Sometimes we want to sound a little more formal. Imagine signing a contract. At the bottom of the page, there is one sentence that you almost didn't notice. It says, you may cancel the agreement, provided that you give 30 days notice. There it is again, a hidden condition. Provided that or simply provided means something similar to only if it's conditionally satisfied. You can use the room provided that you leave it clean. We'll go ahead with the plan provided everyone agrees. You may take off tomorrow provided you finish the work today. You will also hear providing that. Providing that the weather stays good we'll leave tomorrow morning. Different words, same idea. Something will happen, but there's a condition attached. Number four, even if, when the condition changes nothing. Now we come to something rather different. Imagine someone says, even if it rains, I'm going. Rain is certainly a possibility, but here's the interesting part. It doesn't matter. the result stays the same even if it rains I'm going even if nobody believes me I will tell the truth even if I won the lottery I wouldn't stop working even if you had warned me I would still have gone the condition changes but the result doesn't and that is what makes even if so powerful It says, this may happen, it may not. Either way, my decision remains the same. Number five, supposing opens the door to another reality. Now, let's return to imagination. Supposing you woke up tomorrow, looked at your bank account, and discovered 10 million euros. What would you do? Notice what I just said. Supposing you woke up tomorrow. I could have said, if you woke up tomorrow, but the word supposing does something interesting. It invites you to imagine. Supposing you could live anywhere in the world, where would you go? Supposing you lost your job tomorrow, what would you do? There is also suppose. Suppose you could start life again, what would you change? These aren't just conditions. They are invitations, doors into imaginary worlds. Number six, on condition that. There's no mistaking this one. Some conditions are hidden elegantly. This one isn't. You can borrow the money on condition that you pay me back next week. The meaning is clear. Only if you agree to this condition. I'll tell you the secret on condition that you tell nobody else. You can come with us on condition that you follow the rules. It is stronger and more explicit than something like as long as. It tells the listener there is an agreement here and this is the condition. Number seven, otherwise. The condition comes afterwards. Now things become even more interesting. Listen carefully. Hurry up, otherwise we'll miss the train. Well, where is the condition here? It's hiding between the sentences. What I really mean is, if we don't hurry, we'll miss the train. But instead, English allows us to say, Hurry up, otherwise we'll miss the train. Take an umbrella, otherwise you'll get wet. Save your work, otherwise you might lose everything. Tell the truth, otherwise she'll eventually disappear. cover it herself otherwise introduces what happens if the first thing doesn't happen the condition isn't written in the usual form but your mind understands it instantly number eight the hidden pattern now look at what we've just discovered unless you hurry you'll miss the train you can stay as long as you help. We'll continue, provided that everyone agrees. Even if it rains, I'm going. Supposing you became famous, would your life change? You can come on condition that you behave. Leave now, otherwise you'll be late. Seven different ways of expressing conditions. An if is nowhere to be seen. And that is because a condition is not defined by one particular word. A condition is really about something much deeper, one situation depending on another. And once you understand that, you'll stop looking for the word if and start looking for the relationship between the ideas. And now it's your turn. Let's see if you can uncover the hidden condition. Complete these naturally. unless i i want i'll as long as provided that we can even if i will still supposing you could would you and finally you'd better otherwise so don't just think about the grammar yet think about the relationship what has to happen what depends on it what happens if it doesn't That is where the real conditional is hiding. And in closing, for seven lessons, we followed IF. It led us through truth, possibility, dreams, reflection, time, elegance, and even other realities in motion. But now, we've discovered something else. IF was never the conditional. It was only one way of revealing it. Because sometimes the condition is obvious. sometimes it changes its name and sometimes it hides in plain sight so the next time you're here unless as long as provided that even if supposing or otherwise listen carefully because there may be a conditional hiding where you least expect it and once you learn to recognize these hidden patterns you're no longer simply learning conditional structures you're beginning to think in english once again thank you for watching and as always keep learning keep growing i will see you soon