Conditional statements

Original teaching practice. Read one pattern, cover its model and try the questions before checking the separate answer section. Examples adapted from Chinese Grammar Wiki (AllSet Learning, CC BY-NC-SA) retain the course-reference provenance.

if only只要zhǐ yào … ，then / just就jiù … (as long as)

Small daily steps

• A classmate worries about failing the speaking test. You think daily practice is enough.
• if only只要zhǐ yàoevery day每天měi tiānto practice练习liàn xíhalf of sth半个bàn gèhour小时xiǎo shí，you你nǐthen / just就jiùdefinitely一定yí dìngcan / be able to能néngto pass through通过tōng guò。 – "As long as you practise half an hour every day, you'll definitely pass."

if only只要zhǐ yào A，(Subject) then / just就jiù B

• if only只要zhǐ yào = "as long as, provided that": A is enough to bring about B.
• then / just就jiù follows the subject of the result clause: if only只要zhǐ yàoyou你nǐto come来lái，I / me我wǒthen / just就jiùdegree / adjective linker很hěnhappy高兴gāo xìng.

as long as只要zhǐ yàoyou你nǐcome来lái，I我wǒthen就jiùvery很hěnhappy高兴gāo xìng。

Easy conditions, firm results

• if only只要zhǐ yàoto have / there is有yǒunetwork (computing…网络wǎng luò，at / in在zàiwhere哪儿nǎrall / both都dōucan / be able to能néngto work工作gōng zuò。 – "As long as there's internet, you can work anywhere."
• if only只要zhǐ yàoyou你nǐnot不bùvariant of 说说shuō，then / just就jiùnot / haven't没méiperson人rénto know知道zhī dào。 – "As long as you don't tell, nobody will know."

as long as只要zhǐ yàothere is有yǒuinternet网络wǎng luò，at在zàianywhere哪儿nǎr(all)都dōucan能néngwork工作gōng zuò。

Enough, not only

• if only只要zhǐ yào says the condition is sufficient; "only if" (a necessary condition) is only have ...只有zhǐ yǒu…only then / not until才cái….
• Pair if only只要zhǐ yào with then / just就jiù, not only then / not until才cái: if only只要zhǐ yàoto make an effort努力nǔ lìthen / just就jiùcan / be able to能néngsuccess成功chéng gōng, not if only只要zhǐ yàoto make an effort努力nǔ lìtalent才能cái néngsuccess成功chéng gōng.

if only只要zhǐ yào…then / just就jiù versus only have ...只有zhǐ yǒu…only then / not until才cái

• if only只要zhǐ yàoto have / there is有yǒuticket票piào，then / just就jiùcan / be able to能néngto go in进去jìn qù – a ticket is all you need.
• only have ...只有zhǐ yǒuto have / there is有yǒuticket票piào，talent才能cái néngto go in进去jìn qù。 – "Only with a ticket can you get in" (no ticket, no entry).

only if只有zhǐ yǒuhave有yǒua ticket票piào，only then才cáican能néngget in进去jìn qu。

Recap

• if only只要zhǐ yào A，Subject + then / just就jiù B = as long as A, B (A is enough).
• Pairs with then / just就jiù; the necessary condition is only have ...只有zhǐ yǒu…only then / not until才cái….

Practise this pattern step by step.

only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi … ，only then / not until才cái … (only if / unless)

Only with a password

• The office printer only works for staff with a card.
• only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēiyou你nǐto have / there is有yǒustaff员工yuán gōngto block卡kǎ，talent才能cái néngto use / with用yòng这台zhè táiprinter打印机dǎ yìn jī。 – "Only if you have a staff card can you use this printer."

only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi A，only then / not until才cái B = only if A, B

• only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi A，only then / not until才cái B = B happens only if A happens: A is the one necessary condition.
• It is close to only have ...只有zhǐ yǒu…only then / not until才cái….

only if除非chú fēiyou你nǐgo去qù，he他tāonly then才cáiwill会huìgo去qù。

only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi A，otherwise否则fǒu zé / not so不然bù rán B = unless A, B

• only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi A，otherwise否则fǒu zé B = unless A, B will happen: only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēidown下xiàheavy rain大雨dà yǔ，otherwise否则fǒu zécompetition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sài照常进行zhào cháng jìn xíng。 – "Unless it rains heavily, the match goes ahead."
• otherwise否则fǒu zé / not so不然bù rán introduces what happens when A does not happen.

unless除非chú fēifall下xiàheavy rain大雨dà yǔ，otherwise否则fǒu zéthe match比赛bǐ sàias usual照常zhào chánggoes ahead进行jìn xíng。

Two different second halves

• With only then / not until才cái: only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi A，only then / not until才cái B – B only if A. With otherwise否则fǒu zé: only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi A，otherwise否则fǒu zé B – B unless A. Do not mix the logic.
• only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēidown下xiàheavy rain大雨dà yǔ，we / us我们wǒ menall / both都dōuto go去qù (without otherwise否则fǒu zé) is ambiguous; use otherwise否则fǒu zé or not so不然bù rán to make "unless" clear.

only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi versus besides除了chú le

• besides除了chú le = except / besides: besides除了chú lehe / him他tā，everyone大家dà jiāall / both都dōuto come来lái(completed / change)了le.
• only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi = only if / unless, about conditions: only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi他来tā lái，I / me我wǒonly then / not until才cáito go去qù.

except除了chú lehim他tā，everyone大家dà jiāall都dōucame来lái了le。

Recap

• only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi A，only then / not until才cái B = only if A, B; only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi A，otherwise否则fǒu zé / not so不然bù rán B = unless A, B.
• besides除了chú le is "except"; only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi is about conditions.

Practise this pattern step by step.

Practice without the models

Choose a pattern, cover its teaching examples, and attempt its questions. Use the labels to find feedback in the separate key.

if only只要zhǐ yào … ，then / just就jiù … (as long as)

2101.1 Complete: “As long as you work hard, you can learn it well.” if only只要zhǐ yàoto make an effort努力nǔ lì，you你nǐ…………can / be able to能néngto follow good examples学好xué hǎo。

2101.2 Which sentence is correct?

• A. if only只要zhǐ yàoto have / there is有yǒu(concept of) time时间shí jiān，I / me我wǒonly then / not until才cáito go去qù。
• B. if only只要zhǐ yàoto have / there is有yǒu(concept of) time时间shí jiān，then / just就jiùI / me我wǒto go去qù。
• C. if only只要zhǐ yàoto have / there is有yǒu(concept of) time时间shí jiān，I / me我wǒthen / just就jiùto go去qù。
• D. only have ...只有zhǐ yǒuto have / there is有yǒu(concept of) time时间shí jiān，I / me我wǒthen / just就jiùto go去qù。

2101.3 Build: “As long as you don't tell, nobody will know.”

Arrange all chunks: ， / if only只要zhǐ yàoyou你nǐnot不bùvariant of 说说shuō / not / haven't没méiperson人rénto know知道zhī dào。 / then / just就jiù

2101.4 only have ...只有zhǐ yǒu…only then / not until才cái… makes the condition necessary; it does not automatically make that condition sufficient.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

2101.5 A classmate worries about failing the speaking test. You think daily practice is enough. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi … ，only then / not until才cái … (only if / unless)

2102.1 Complete: “Unless you hurry, you'll miss the train.” only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēiyou你nǐrapid快kuàierhua variant of 一点一点儿yì diǎn ér，…………then / just就jiùcan't keep up with赶不上gǎn bù shàngtrain火车huǒ chē(completed / change)了le。

2102.2 What does only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēiyou你nǐto go去qù，I / me我wǒonly then / not until才cáito go去qù mean?

• A. I won't go if you go.
• B. I'll go only if you go.
• C. I'll go whether or not you go.
• D. Except for you, I'll go.

2102.3 Build: “Unless it rains heavily, the match goes ahead.”

Arrange all chunks: 照常进行zhào cháng jìn xíng。 / ，otherwise否则fǒu zé / only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēidown下xiàheavy rain大雨dà yǔ / competition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sài

2102.4 only if (..., or otherwise…除非chú fēi and besides除了chú le mean the same.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

2102.5 The office printer only works for staff with a card. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

A fresh situation

R1. Interpret and repair. A ticket is necessary for entry. Someone says having a ticket guarantees entry at any time. Is that licensed by only have ...只有zhǐ yǒuto have / there is有yǒuticket票piào，talent才能cái néngto go in进去jìn qù？

R2. Use it yourself. Write an unless sentence saying you will go unless it rains heavily.

Write your responses before opening the key. Compare meaning as well as form; a different valid answer need not copy the model.