Conditional Clauses Questions Medium
The main difference between 'if' and 'unless' in conditional clauses lies in the conditions they express.
'If' is used to introduce a condition that must be met in order for the main clause to occur. It implies that the outcome of the main clause is dependent on the condition being true. For example, "If it rains, I will bring an umbrella." This means that bringing an umbrella is contingent upon the condition of rain.
On the other hand, 'unless' is used to introduce a condition that, if true, would prevent the main clause from happening. It implies that the outcome of the main clause is only possible if the condition is false. For example, "I will go to the party unless I have to work." This means that going to the party is only possible if the condition of having to work is false.
In summary, 'if' introduces a condition that must be true for the main clause to occur, while 'unless' introduces a condition that must be false for the main clause to occur.