Expressing condition: providing that / provided that / as long as

🔊 La maîtresse lit pour toi

Can corruption be beaten? For Karim Bishi, the head of an anti-corruption association, the answer is yes — on one condition: « We will eradicate corruption providing we act now. » And he adds: « The chances of eradicating this corruption will increase as long as all countries are committed to fighting it. » Not a promise, then, but a promise with a condition. What do providing and as long as add to a sentence — and which tense comes after them?

🎓في نهاية هذا الدرس ستكون قادرا على:

التعبير عن الشرط بـ ⁦provided (that) · providing (that) · as long as · so long as⁩، وهي بمعنى ⁦but only if⁩
استعمال الزمن الصحيح: المضارع البسيط بعد أداة الشرط ولو كان الحديث عن المستقبل، و ⁦will⁩ في الجملة الرئيسيّة
التمييز بين الجملة الرئيسيّة والجملة التابعة التي تحمل الشرط
ربط جملتين بأداة شرط مع تصريف الأفعال تصريفا صحيحا، بما فيه المبني للمجهول

🔑يفترض هذا الدرس أنّك تتقن:

جملة الشرط من النوع الأوّل ⁦(if + present simple, will + verb)⁩
المضارع البسيط والمستقبل البسيط ⁦(present simple · future simple)⁩
المبني للمجهول ⁦(be + past participle)⁩

1. Condition: « but only if »

أدوات الشرط ⁦provided (that) · providing (that) · as long as · so long as⁩ تعني: بشرط أن؛ فالنتيجة لا تتحقّق إلّا إذا تحقّق الشرط.

The link words 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: the result will happen, but only on that condition. The word that is optional. The link word can start the sentence, or come in the middle, before the condition: « Provided (that) you work harder, you will pass your exam. » — « You will pass your exam providing (that) you work harder. » (= You will pass, but only if you work harder.) « As long as she studies harder, she will pass the exam. » — « She will pass the exam so long as she works harder. » (= She will pass the exam, but only if she works harder.)

A radio interview on corruption — Karim Bishi, Head of the Right-to-Know Association

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.

Condition, clause by clause

Main clause (the result)	Link word	Subordinate clause (the 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.
You will pass your exam	provided (that)	you work harder.

The link word always introduces the condition, whether the sentence starts with it or not.

Task 1 — Which item can be used instead of providing and as long as in the interview: a. even if · b. but only if · c. except if · d. even though?

أيّ عبارة يمكن أن تحلّ محلّ أداتي الشرط في المقابلة؟

b. but only if. « We will eradicate corruption, but only if we act now. » « The chances will increase, but only if all countries are committed to fighting it. » Bishi says it himself, just before: « Yes, but only if we act swiftly and collectively. »

Task 2 — What do providing and as long as express? In each sentence, which clause is the main clause, and which is the subordinate clause?

ماذا تعبّر عنه الأداتان؟ وما الجملة الرئيسيّة وما الجملة التابعة في كلّ جملة؟

They express a condition. The subordinate clause begins with the link word and carries the condition: providing we act now · as long as all countries are committed to fighting it. The main clause carries the result: We will eradicate corruption · The chances of eradicating this corruption will increase.

2. The tenses: no will after the link word

بعد أداة الشرط نستعمل المضارع البسيط ولو كان الحديث عن المستقبل، ونضع ⁦will⁩ في الجملة الرئيسيّة.

The tenses are the same as in the if-conditional (type 1). When you are talking about the future, do not use will after provided (that), providing (that), as long as or so long as: use the present simple instead. Will goes in the main clause. « Provided (that) you leave now, you'll arrive at school on time. » The pattern: provided (that) + present simple, will + verb.

Task 3 — In Bishi's two sentences, which tense is used in each clause? What time do they refer to? Draw the rule.

ما الزمن المستعمل في كلّ جملة؟ وإلى أيّ زمن تشير؟ استنتج القاعدة.

Subordinate clauses: the present simple — we act, all countries are committed. Yet they refer to the future: the condition is not met yet.
Main clauses: the future simple — will eradicate, will increase.
The rule: provided (that), providing (that), as long as, so long as + present simple; in the main clause, will + verb.

So never will after the link word: ✗ « providing we will act now » → ✓ « providing we act now ».

3. Link two sentences with a condition

اربط كلّ جملتين بأداة شرط: ضع الأداة قبل الشرط، والمضارع البسيط بعدها، و ⁦will⁩ في الجملة الأخرى.

Task 4 — Link each pair of sentences using providing (that), provided (that) or as long as, with the right tenses for the verbs in brackets. One of them is in the passive voice.

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 4 — the answers

الإجابات : الشرط بعد الأداة في المضارع البسيط، والنتيجة بـ ⁦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. This is the passive: the Mayor does not elect, he is elected — will be + past participle.
D. Algeria will attract more foreign investments as long as it passes stricter anti-corruption laws.
E. The government will regain the confidence of the citizens provided (that) they fight bribery, embezzlement and nepotism.

Each time, find the sentence that is the condition: the link word goes in front of it. You can also start with it: « As long as you keep your probity and integrity, your business will continue to prosper. »

Do this alone, in writing. Write three conditions for winning the fight against corruption in your town — one with provided that, one with providing, one with as long as. Then check each sentence: present simple after the link word, will in the main clause.

اكتب وحدك ثلاث جمل شرطيّة عن مكافحة الرشوة في مدينتك، بثلاث أدوات مختلفة، ثمّ راجع الأزمنة.

A model answer

We will win the fight against corruption provided that every citizen refuses to pay a bribe. Providing the town hall publishes its accounts, citizens will know how public funds are spent. As long as the laws stay tough, corruption will not come back.

In the exam, condition is tested in the text exploration: you join two sentences with the link word given, or you rewrite a sentence so that it keeps the same meaning — « We will win, but only if we act now » becomes « We will win provided that we act now ». Have three things ready: ① the meaning, but only if; ② the tenses, present simple after the link word and will + verb in the main clause; ③ the passive when the subject does not do the action: « The Mayor will be elected … ». The frequent mistake: will after the link word — ✗ « provided that we will act » → ✓ « provided that we act ».

What I keep — Provided (that), providing (that), as long as and so long as introduce a condition: they mean but only if. The link word stands before the condition, at the start or in the middle of the sentence. After it comes the present simple, even for the future; in the main clause, will + verb: « We will eradicate corruption providing we act now. »

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