Unit 2 — ILL GOTTEN GAINS NEVER PROSPER › Language form
Expressing condition and wish: provided that / as long as, wish, it’s high time
- التعبير عن الشرط بـ provided that و providing that و as long as بمعنى «بشرط أن»، مع توافق الأزمنة
- التعبير عن الندم على الحاضر بـ wish متبوعة بالماضي البسيط، وعن الندم على الماضي بـ wish متبوعة بالماضي التامّ
- التعبير عن الرغبة في تغيير قريب بـ wish … would، وعن ندم أو رغبة أقوى بـ if only
- التعبير عن تأخّر أمر كان ينبغي فعله بـ It's high time متبوعة بالماضي البسيط
- الجملة الشرطية بـ if من النوع الأوّل: الحاضر البسيط في جملة الشرط و will في جملة الجواب
- الماضي البسيط والماضي التامّ
- الجملة الأساسية والجملة التابعة
1. Setting a condition: provided that, providing that, as long as
Provided (that), providing (that), as long as and so long as introduce a condition. They mean the same as but only if, or if and only if: « Provided that you work harder, you will pass your exam. » (= You will pass, but only if you work harder.) The tenses are the same as in an if-conditional of type 1. When you talk about the future, do not use will after the link word: use the present simple. Will goes in the main clause: Provided that + present simple, … will + infinitive. The condition can come first, followed by a comma, or after the main clause: « She will pass the exam as long as she works harder. »
Bishi: When friends of mine and I read that report, we realized that the least corrupt countries are those which have associations like our own. So I said to myself it's high time we organised ourselves into an association to fight corruption. Radio host: So you think there are chances of winning the fight against corruption…? Bishi: Yes, but only if we act swiftly and collectively. We will eradicate corruption providing we act now. And I must add that the chances of eradicating this corruption will increase as long as all countries are committed to fighting it. […] Radio host: Any other idea to close this interview? Bishi: Well, I wish our fellow citizens had heard our call to fight corruption earlier than now. I wish the present anti-corruption laws were tougher. And above all I wish our government would pass a law giving citizens the right to know how public funds are spent, and the sooner the better!
| Main clause | Link word | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| We will eradicate corruption | providing | we act now. |
| The chances of eradicating this corruption will increase | as long as | all countries are committed to fighting it. |
Task 1 — In « We will eradicate corruption providing we act now », which item can replace providing: a. even if · b. but only if · c. except if · d. even though? What do providing and as long as express?Task 1 — In « We will eradicate corruption providing we act now », which item can replace providing: a. even if · b. but only if · c. except if · d. even though? What do providing and as long as express?أيّ عبارة تحلّ محلّ providing؟ وعلامَ تدلّ providing و as long as؟
b. but only if: « We will eradicate corruption, but only if we act now. » Providing (that) and as long as express a condition: the main fact will happen only if the condition is met. Even if and even though say the opposite — the fact happens whatever the condition; except if excludes a case. Neither sets a condition.
Task 2 — Which tenses are used in the two clauses? What time do they refer to?Task 2 — Which tenses are used in the two clauses? What time do they refer to?ما الزمن المستعمل في كلّ جملة؟ وإلى أيّ وقت يشير؟
The main clauses take will + infinitive: will eradicate, will increase. The conditions take the present simple: we act, all countries are committed. Both clauses refer to the future. After providing (that) and as long as, the present simple refers to the future — exactly as after if in a conditional of type 1.
A. a) Banks (lend) you money to start a business. b) You (promise) in writing to pay them back. B. a) Your business (continue) to prosper. b) You (keep) your probity and integrity. C. a) The Mayor (elect) for a second term. b) He (manage) to avoid corruption scandals. D. a) Algeria (attract) more foreign investments. b) It (pass) stricter anti-corruption laws. E. a) The government (regain) the confidence of the citizens. b) They (fight) bribery, embezzlement, and nepotism.
Task 3 — the answers, and the question to ask each timeTask 3 — the answers, and the question to ask each timeفي كلّ زوج اسأل: أيّ الجملتين شرط؟ تلك تأخذ الحاضر البسيط، والأخرى تأخذ will.
- A. Banks will lend you money to start a business provided that you promise in writing to pay them back.
- B. Your business will continue to prosper as long as you keep your probity and integrity.
- C. The Mayor will be elected for a second term providing that he manages to avoid corruption scandals. — the passive voice: will be elected.
- D. Algeria will attract more foreign investments provided that it passes stricter anti-corruption laws.
- E. The government will regain the confidence of the citizens as long as they fight bribery, embezzlement, and nepotism.
In each pair, sentence b) is the condition: it takes the present simple, and sentence a) takes will. The three link words mean the same, so each of them is correct in every sentence.
2. Wishes and regrets: I wish, if only
Wish expresses a regret or a desire. The tense that follows it tells what the wish is about. wish + past simple expresses a regret about a present situation, by imagining its opposite: « I wish I had a car. » (but I haven't got one) The past simple refers to the present. Were is often used instead of was, especially in formal English: « I wish he were with me now. » wish + past perfect expresses a regret about the past: « I wish I had listened to your advice yesterday. » (but I didn't) wish + would expresses a desire for change in the near future, especially when someone or something is annoying us: « I wish you would stop talking. » A wish about ourselves cannot be expressed with would: we use could — « I wish I could lose weight. » If only can replace wish to express a stronger regret or wish: « If only I had listened to my mother's advice! »
| Structure | It expresses | Example |
|---|---|---|
| wish + past simple | a regret about the present | I wish I had a car. (but I haven't got one) |
| wish + past perfect | a regret about the past | I wish I had listened to your advice yesterday. (but I didn't) |
| wish + would | a desire for change in the near future | I wish you would stop talking. |
| wish + could | a wish about ourselves | I wish I could lose weight. |
| if only + … | a stronger regret or wish | If only I had listened to my mother's advice! |
A. I wish our fellow citizens had heard our call to fight corruption earlier than now. B. I wish the present anti-corruption laws were tougher. C. I wish our government would pass a law giving citizens the right to know how public funds are spent, and the sooner the better.
Task 4 — A and B express regret: which tense follows I wish, and is each regret about the present or the past? What does C express?Task 4 — A and B express regret: which tense follows I wish, and is each regret about the present or the past? What does C express?ما الزمن الذي يلي I wish في الجملتين A و B؟ وهل الندم على الحاضر أم على الماضي؟ وعلامَ تدلّ الجملة C؟
- A. had heard — the past perfect: a regret about the past. The citizens did not hear the call early enough.
- B. were — the past simple: a regret about the present. The laws are not tough enough now.
- C. would pass — not a regret but a desire for change in the near future: « and the sooner the better ».
3. It's high time: the action is late
When you say It's time (for someone) to do something, you simply mean that this is the right time to do it: « It's time for us to go to the station. » But when you say It's time someone did something — with the past simple — you are thinking that the action should have been performed earlier: you are complaining about the delay. « We think it's time the government did something about corruption. » As after wish, the past simple refers to the present. It's high time or It's about time makes the complaint stronger: « It's high time we organised ourselves into an association to fight corruption. »
D. It's high time we organised ourselves into an anti-corruption association. E. It's about time we fought this pollution.
Task 5 — D and E give advice about what to do, although it is already a little late. Rewrite them with should in the past, starting: « We should have … »Task 5 — D and E give advice about what to do, although it is already a little late. Rewrite them with should in the past, starting: « We should have … »أعد كتابة الجملتين D و E بـ should في الماضي، مبتدئا بـ We should have.
D. We should have organised ourselves into an anti-corruption association. E. We should have fought this pollution. Both ways say the same thing: the action is late. It's high time + past simple complains about the delay now; should have + past participle says that it ought to have been done before.
A model answerA model answer
Our town will stay clean as long as everybody uses the bins. I wish our school library were bigger. It's high time the town council repaired the road to our school.
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