Unless vs. Otherwise 

"Unless" vs. "Otherwise" in the English grammar

What Is Their Main Difference?

The main difference between 'unless' and 'otherwise' is that 'unless' talks about conditions while 'otherwise' talks about results.

Parts of Speech

'Unless' and 'otherwise' are conjunctions. They are used to connect clauses.

Example

We won't come unless Lucy comes too.

I should write it otherwise I will forget the recipe.

Meaning

'Unless' and 'otherwise' are different in meaning. They each express different things.
'Unless' expresses and focuses on conditions. Have a look:

Example

You can't apply for this position unless you have experience.

They won't let me see Nina unless I pay them.

Unlike 'unless,' 'otherwise' expresses and focuses on the result. We use it to show what would happen if a certain action is not fulfilled. For example:

Example

we should leave otherwise we would be late.

We need to tell him the truth otherwise he will be angry.

Comments

(0)
Loading Recaptcha...
Share on :
books
Learn English VocabularyStart learning categorized English vocabulary on Langeek.
Click to start
LanGeek
Download LanGeek app