Grammar Exercise - Unless, Providing, Provided That, And As Long As

Grammar Exercise - Unless, Providing, Provided That, And As Long As 

The expressions providing, provided that and as long as have very similar meanings and are usually interchangeable. They are used before saying the conditions that make something else happen or be true. Unless is similar to if not.

Test your understanding of these expressions with this grammar exercise.

1. We can win the championship, .......................... we avoid bad injuries.

providing

Unless

2. I will leave now, .............................. there is anything left to do now.

unless

as long as

3. We can hold the party in the garden ............................. it doesn't rain.

provided

unless

4. The public will be admitted to the galleries, ........................... they make a donation.

unless

providing

5. You can keep the puppy ................................... you promise to take care of it.

as long as

provided that

6. You can take my car ............................... you drive carefully.

as long as

provided that

Either could be used here

7. I can't help you ............................ you tell me what is wrong.

unless

providing

8. I can help you ............................... you tell me what is wrong.

unless

provided that

9. He wouldn't eat anything .................................. he cooked it himself.

providing

unless

10. You can take this seat, ............................... no one has reserved it.

unless

providing

as long as

11. My parents don't care who I marry .......................... I am happy.

as long as

unless

12. You can go out now .............................. you finish your homework first.

providing

provided that

as long as

All of these

Answers

1. We can win the championship, providing we avoid bad injuries.
2. I will leave now, unless there is anything left to do now.
3. We can hold the party in the garden provided that it doesn’t rain.
4. The public will be admitted to the galleries, providing they make a donation.
5. You can keep the puppy as long as you promise to take care of it.
6. You can take my car as long as you drive carefully.
7. I can’t help you unless you tell me what is wrong.
8. I can help you as long as you tell me what is wrong.
9. He wouldn’t eat anything unless he cooked it himself.
10. You can take this seat, providing / provided that / as long as no one has reserved it.
11. My parents don’t care who I marry as long as I am happy.
12. You can go out now providing / provided that / as long as you finish your homework first.