ابحث بين معلمي الإنجليزية المتعددين...
Tomomi
What does 'Not unless' mean?
What does 'Not unless' mean?
The sentence is below.
'Shall I tell Liz what happened?' 'Not unless she asks you.'
Is 'Not unless' meaning of 'No, unless...'?
If so, why is it used 'Not'?
Thanks in advance!
٢٨ فبراير ٢٠١٥ ٠٤:١٦
الإجابات · 5
1
Yes, "Not unless" means the same as "No, unless." The sentence "No, unless she asks you" would be well-understood.
"Not unless" is a shorter way to say "You should not, unless"; and the sentence "You should not, unless she asks you" would also be correct here.
However when two people are speaking, it is not necessary to specify the other person as "you", so English speakers usually drop that word. Using a longer version would sound less natural to an English-speaking listener; but the sentence would still be understood.
Another time English speakers drop the word "you" is in imperative sentences, commands, such as "Do not tease the cat."
٢٨ فبراير ٢٠١٥
Thank you for your comment^^
٢٨ فبراير ٢٠١٥
Synonymous expression: "only if."
٢٨ فبراير ٢٠١٥
لم تجد إجاباتك بعد؟
اكتب اسألتك ودع الناطقين الأصليين باللغات يساعدونك!
Tomomi
المهارات اللغوية
الإنجليزية, اليابانية
لغة التعلّم
الإنجليزية
مقالات قد تعجبك أيضًا

How to Ask for a Raise or Promotion in English
9 تأييدات · 8 التعليقات

The Key to Learning a Language Faster
30 تأييدات · 8 التعليقات

Why "General English" is Failing Your Career (An Engineer’s Perspective)
30 تأييدات · 12 التعليقات
مقالات أكثر
