By the end of this lesson you should be able to
- Rewrite conditional sentences using unless and other linking words
- Express contrast with despite, in spite of and no matter how
- Use inversion after negative adverbials such as never and no sooner
- Rewrite sentences using too, enough, so that and comparison patterns
Building on the basics
The first lesson in this series covered the passive, reported speech and question tags. This lesson covers the patterns that examiners use to test whether you can express the same meaning in a different grammatical shape. The rules of the exercise stay the same: write one sentence, do not change the printed words, and keep the meaning.
Conditionals and unless
| Type | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| First (real or likely) | if + present simple, will + base verb | If it rains, we will stay indoors. |
| Second (unlikely) | if + past simple, would + base verb | If I won the lottery, I would build a school. |
| Third (impossible, past) | if + past perfect, would have + past participle | If she had studied, she would have passed. |
Unless means if … not. The verb after unless is positive in form.
- You will fail if you do not revise. → Unless you revise, you will fail.
- Wrong: Unless you do not revise, you will fail.
Other linking words with a similar meaning: provided that, as long as, on condition that.
Concession: contrast that surprises
These patterns say “X is true, but Y happens anyway”.
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| although / though + clause | Although the road was muddy, we arrived on time. |
| despite / in spite of + noun or -ing | In spite of the muddy road, we arrived on time. Despite being tired, she went on. |
| despite / in spite of the fact that + clause | Despite the fact that the road was muddy, we arrived on time. |
| however + adjective/adverb + subject + verb | However cold it was, they swam. |
| no matter how + adjective + subject + verb | No matter how cold it was, they swam. |
Inversion after negative adverbials
When a sentence begins with a negative or restrictive adverbial, the auxiliary verb comes before the subject, as in a question. If there is no auxiliary, use do / does / did.
Negative adverbial + auxiliary + subject + main verb
| Original | Inverted |
|---|---|
| She had never seen such a crowd. | Never had she seen such a crowd. |
| They did not at any point suspect the truth. | At no point did they suspect the truth. |
| He not only lost his job but also his house. | Not only did he lose his job, but he also lost his house. |
| As soon as the bell rang, the pupils ran out. | No sooner had the bell rung than the pupils ran out. |
| I had hardly sat down when the phone rang. | Hardly had I sat down when the phone rang. |
| You must not open this door under any circumstances. | Under no circumstances must you open this door. |
| He seldom complains. | Seldom does he complain. |
Note the pairs no sooner … than and hardly … when.
Too, enough, so … that
These three patterns often express the same idea.
- The tea was so hot that he could not drink it.
- The tea was too hot for him to drink.
- The tea was not cool enough for him to drink.
- So hot was the tea that he could not drink it. (inversion)
Comparison
These sentences mean the same:
- Lusaka is bigger than any other city in Zambia.
- No other city in Zambia is as big as Lusaka.
- Lusaka is the biggest city in Zambia.
Also learn the more …, the more …: The more you practise, the better you become.
Preference
- prefer + noun/-ing + to + noun/-ing: I prefer walking to cycling.
- would rather + base verb + than + base verb: I would rather walk than cycle.
Do not mix the two patterns.
Subject and verb agreement with together with
Words such as together with, along with and as well as do not make the subject plural. The verb agrees with the first subject.
- Mary and her cousins have arrived. → Mary, together with her cousins, has arrived.
Worked examples
Example 1. A: He will miss the bus if he does not leave now.
B: Unless he leaves now, he will miss the bus.
Example 2. A: Although the exam was difficult, most learners passed.
B: In spite of the difficult exam, most learners passed.
Example 3. A: The soup was so salty that nobody could eat it.
B: The soup was too salty for anybody to eat.
Example 4. A: He had hardly arrived when the meeting began.
B: Hardly had he arrived when the meeting began.
Common mistakes
Using a negative verb after unless. Unless already means “if not”.
Forgetting inversion. After never, seldom, not only and no sooner, put the auxiliary before the subject.
Mixing “no sooner … when” or “hardly … than”. The correct pairs are no sooner … than and hardly … when.
Keeping although with despite. Write although + clause or despite + noun, not both.
Practice questions
Complete sentence B so that it means the same as sentence A.
- A: If you do not hurry, you will miss the train. B: Unless ______
- A: Although he was ill, he attended the class. B: In spite of ______
- A: However tired the driver felt, he kept going. B: No matter ______
- A: They had never seen such beauty. B: Never ______
- A: As soon as the manager left, the noise began. B: No sooner ______
- A: The box was so heavy that she could not lift it. B: The box was too heavy ______
- A: Sara is the tallest girl in the class. B: No other ______
- A: I prefer walking to cycling. B: I would rather ______
- A: The principal and the prefects are attending. B: The principal, together with ______
- A: He did not say a word at any time during the meeting. B: At no time ______
Show answers
Other correct answers may be accepted where the meaning and grammar are right.
- Unless you hurry, you will miss the train.
- In spite of being ill, he attended the class. (or his illness)
- No matter how tired the driver felt, he kept going.
- Never had they seen such beauty.
- No sooner had the manager left than the noise began.
- The box was too heavy for her to lift.
- No other girl in the class is as tall as Sara.
- I would rather walk than cycle.
- The principal, together with the prefects, is attending.
- At no time during the meeting did he say a word.
Summary
- Unless means if … not, and it is followed by a positive verb.
- Use despite or in spite of with a noun or -ing form, and although with a clause.
- After negative adverbials, invert the auxiliary and the subject.
- Too … to, so … that and not … enough to can express the same idea.
- Learn the patterns no other … as … as, prefer … to and would rather … than.
Now practise this topic
Real questions show you what still needs work. Try a past paper under timed conditions, or take a short quiz.