unless/except /if

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1
  1. We will be late unless we hurry.
  2. We will be late except if we hurry.
  3. We will be late if we do not hurry.
    Please check all.
    Thanks.
2

Hi Allifathima

2 is not correct. The other two are okay.

3

[color=blue]2 is not grammatically incorrect, but it is not very natural either.
We will be late, [color=blue]except if we hurry.

1 and 3 are better.

4

Waiyin Cheng is right. 2 is so unnatural that it should simply be classified as incorrect.

5

[color=blue]No, it is not grammatically wrong, and I don’t think it is that unnatural.

‘We will do that too, except if we run out of time.’

6

It is extremely unnatural. Changing the goalposts doesn’t make a difference to the original, but in any case, I don’t even find your new sentence to be an acceptable example of a natural sentence. ‘Unless’ would be the natural term.

We will do that too, unless we run out of time.
We will do that too, if we don’t run out of time.

7

[color=blue]I can only repeat that the sentence is not incorrect and that you are overstating the degree of unnaturalness. Others will have to decide for themselves.

8

You are overstating your argument, but that was predictable. I’m glad you agree there’s nothing to add to this conversation.