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Diagramming UNLESS

emilycyoung1emilycyoung1 Free Trial Member
in General 234 karma
I cannot seem to understand this for the various ways unless can appear in a sentence. I have been told to replace the unless with if not but also that the statement thats connected to the unless is the necessary condition. How can it be made an if not (making it sufficient) and also be necessary? Here are a couple of various ways I have seen unless in sentences: Unless I get a good grade, I will not go out; No student can go out unless they get a 4.0. To my understanding, you diagram these as follows:
If go out>>> got good grade
If student got 4.0, then they can go out

I gather these from sort of thinking about the relationship but I want a simple short cut to use. Any ideas?

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Comments

  • blah170blahblah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐
    3545 karma
    Your diagram of the first one is correct:
    Go out -> good grade

    But not of the second one. It should be:
    Go out --> 4.0

    Whatever follows the "unless" is the necessary condition to whatever came before the "unless." To put it in actual language, I know that a student who goes out must have had a 4.0 because "no student" can do so "unless they get a 4.0" That diagrams out to:
    go out --> 4.0

  • emilycyoung1emilycyoung1 Free Trial Member
    234 karma
    @blah170blah so for the statements that don't have anything prior to unless like: unless it rains, I will wear flip flops, you still use the "it rains" as the necessary because it is being modified by the unless right? What about that the stuff where people say you have to negate something when putting unless statements in if then form?
  • blah170blahblah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐
    3545 karma
    So, I always found the change "unless" to "if not" really weird for me. It made me focus too much on diagramming instead of really understanding the argument. The heart of the language is that "unless" means it is necessary. That's always the way I see it.
  • MrSamIamMrSamIam Inactive ⭐
    2086 karma
    It's simple, really.
    1) Figure out what the two variables are
    2) Choose one to be the sufficient, and the other to be the necessary (it doesn't matter which you choose - I suggest choosing the one stated in the negative, if such exists)
    3) Negate the one you chose to be the sufficient
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