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 … ，then / just就 … (as long as)
Small daily steps
- A classmate worries about failing the speaking test. You think daily practice is enough.
- if only只要every day每天to practice练习half of sth半个hour小时，you你then / just就definitely一定can / be able to能to pass through通过。 — "As long as you practise half an hour every day, you'll definitely pass."
if only只要 A，(Subject) then / just就 B
- if only只要 = "as long as, provided that": A is enough to bring about B.
- then / just就 follows the subject of the result clause: if only只要you你to come来，I / me我then / just就degree / adjective linker很happy高兴.
as long as只要you你come来，I我then就very很happy高兴。
Easy conditions, firm results
- if only只要to have / there is有network (computing…网络，at / in在where哪儿all / both都can / be able to能to work工作。 — "As long as there's internet, you can work anywhere."
- if only只要you你not不variant of 说说，then / just就not / haven't没person人to know知道。 — "As long as you don't tell, nobody will know."
as long as只要there is有internet网络，at在anywhere哪儿(all)都can能work工作。
Enough, not only
- if only只要 says the condition is sufficient; "only if" (a necessary condition) is only have ...只有…only then / not until才….
- Pair if only只要 with then / just就, not only then / not until才: if only只要to make an effort努力then / just就can / be able to能success成功, not if only只要to make an effort努力talent才能success成功.
if only只要…then / just就 versus only have ...只有…only then / not until才
- if only只要to have / there is有ticket票，then / just就can / be able to能to go in进去 — a ticket is all you need.
- only have ...只有to have / there is有ticket票，talent才能to go in进去。 — "Only with a ticket can you get in" (no ticket, no entry).
only if只有have有a ticket票，only then才can能get in进去。
Recap
- if only只要 A，Subject + then / just就 B = as long as A, B (A is enough).
- Pairs with then / just就; the necessary condition is only have ...只有…only then / not until才….
Practise this pattern step by step.
only if (..., or otherwise…除非 … ，only then / not until才 … (only if / unless)
Only with a password
- The office printer only works for staff with a card.
- only if (..., or otherwise…除非you你to have / there is有staff员工to block卡，talent才能to use / with用这台printer打印机。 — "Only if you have a staff card can you use this printer."
only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，only then / not until才 B = only if A, B
- only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，only then / not until才 B = B happens only if A happens: A is the one necessary condition.
- It is close to only have ...只有…only then / not until才….
only if除非you你go去，he他only then才will会go去。
only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，otherwise否则 / not so不然 B = unless A, B
- only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，otherwise否则 B = unless A, B will happen: only if (..., or otherwise…除非down下heavy rain大雨，otherwise否则competition (sports etc)比赛照常进行。 — "Unless it rains heavily, the match goes ahead."
- otherwise否则 / not so不然 introduces what happens when A does not happen.
unless除非fall下heavy rain大雨，otherwise否则the match比赛as usual照常goes ahead进行。
Two different second halves
- With only then / not until才: only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，only then / not until才 B — B only if A. With otherwise否则: only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，otherwise否则 B — B unless A. Do not mix the logic.
- only if (..., or otherwise…除非down下heavy rain大雨，we / us我们all / both都to go去 (without otherwise否则) is ambiguous; use otherwise否则 or not so不然 to make "unless" clear.
only if (..., or otherwise…除非 versus besides除了
- besides除了 = except / besides: besides除了he / him他，everyone大家all / both都to come来(completed / change)了.
- only if (..., or otherwise…除非 = only if / unless, about conditions: only if (..., or otherwise…除非他来，I / me我only then / not until才to go去.
except除了him他，everyone大家all都came来了。
Recap
- only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，only then / not until才 B = only if A, B; only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，otherwise否则 / not so不然 B = unless A, B.
- besides除了 is "except"; only if (..., or otherwise…除非 is about conditions.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Practice without the models
if only只要 … ，then / just就 … (as long as)
2101.1 Complete: “As long as you work hard, you can learn it well.” if only只要to make an effort努力，you你…………can / be able to能to follow good examples学好。
2101.2 Which sentence is correct?
- A. if only只要to have / there is有(concept of) time时间，I / me我only then / not until才to go去。
- B. if only只要to have / there is有(concept of) time时间，then / just就I / me我to go去。
- C. if only只要to have / there is有(concept of) time时间，I / me我then / just就to go去。
- D. only have ...只有to have / there is有(concept of) time时间，I / me我then / just就to go去。
2101.3 Build: “As long as you don't tell, nobody will know.”
Arrange all chunks: ， / if only只要you你not不variant of 说说 / not / haven't没person人to know知道。 / then / just就
2101.4 only have ...只有…only then / not until才… 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 … ，only then / not until才 … (only if / unless)
2102.1 Complete: “Unless you hurry, you'll miss the train.” only if (..., or otherwise…除非you你rapid快erhua variant of 一点一点儿，…………then / just就can't keep up with赶不上train火车(completed / change)了。
2102.2 What does only if (..., or otherwise…除非you你to go去，I / me我only then / not until才to go去 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。 / ，otherwise否则 / only if (..., or otherwise…除非down下heavy rain大雨 / competition (sports etc)比赛
2102.4 only if (..., or otherwise…除非 and besides除了 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.
Answers and explanations
if only只要 … ，then / just就 … (as long as)
2101.1 then / just就
if only只要 pairs with then / just就.
2101.2 C. if only只要to have / there is有(concept of) time时间，I / me我then / just就to go去。
if only只要to have / there is有(concept of) time时间，I / me我then / just就to go去 is right: if only只要 ("as long as") pairs with then / just就 after the subject. only then / not until才 belongs with only have ...只有, a stricter condition.
2101.3 if only只要you你not不variant of 说说，then / just就not / haven't没person人to know知道。
if only只要 + condition, then / just就 + result.
2101.4 True.
A necessary condition can coexist with other requirements. if only只要 instead presents a sufficient condition.
2101.5 One possible response: if only只要every day每天to practice练习half of sth半个hour小时，you你then / just就definitely一定can / be able to能to pass through通过。
Check meaning and form:
- My response conveys a message that fits the opening situation.
- I can explain the meaning of the pattern, rather than only naming it.
- if only只要 says the condition is sufficient; "only if" (a necessary condition) is only have ...只有…only then / not until才….
- Pair if only只要 with then / just就, not only then / not until才: if only只要to make an effort努力then / just就can / be able to能success成功, not if only只要to make an effort努力talent才能success成功.
- I tried a second response with a name, time, place, or description changed.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.
only if (..., or otherwise…除非 … ，only then / not until才 … (only if / unless)
2102.1 otherwise否则
only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，otherwise否则 B = unless A, B.
2102.2 B. I'll go only if you go.
only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，only then / not until才 B means “only if A, then B”: only if (..., or otherwise…除非you你to go去，I / me我only then / not until才to go去 “I'll go only if you go.” It does not mean “except for”.
2102.3 only if (..., or otherwise…除非down下heavy rain大雨，otherwise否则competition (sports etc)比赛照常进行。
only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，otherwise否则 B.
2102.4 False.
besides除了 = except; only if (..., or otherwise…除非 = only if / unless.
2102.5 One possible response: only if (..., or otherwise…除非you你to have / there is有staff员工to block卡，talent才能to use / with用这台printer打印机。
Check meaning and form:
- My response conveys a message that fits the opening situation.
- I can explain the meaning of the pattern, rather than only naming it.
- With only then / not until才: only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，only then / not until才 B – B only if A. With otherwise否则: only if (..., or otherwise…除非 A，otherwise否则 B – B unless A. Do not mix the logic.
- only if (..., or otherwise…除非down下heavy rain大雨，we / us我们all / both都to go去 (without otherwise否则) is ambiguous; use otherwise否则 or not so不然 to make "unless" clear.
- I tried a second response with a name, time, place, or description changed.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.