Use of word Provided

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi ,

Can you tell me where to use the word ‘Provided’ in sentence.I have noticed the workd used in the middle of sentence and in the starting of sentence.

I know the use of ‘Provided’ when used in the middle of sentence.I want to know the use of the word when used in starting of sentence.

I hope i am clear for you.

Regards,
William

2

‘Provided’ or ‘Provided that’, to me, means ‘if’ or ‘on condition’. So, the sentence beginning with it is a subordinate clause. Though a subordinate clause can be a dangling clause, the one with ‘provided’ is hardly found used in the beginning. I cannot explain the ‘why’ of it, though.

3

Hi Anglophile,

Thanks for explaining the use of it.

Could you give me few examples.

Regards,
William

4
  1. You may leave the office early provided (that) you complete the work assigned to you.
  2. I can accompany you wherever you go provided you bear all my expenses.
  3. She will be allowed to occupy the flat provided she pays its price in full.
5

Hi Anglophile,

Thanks for examples.

Thanks for corrections.May i know why ‘a’ letter is necessary in the sentence ?

6

Could you give me few examples = Could you give me not many examples? (This, as you will see, is odd and absurd, and does not make the intended sense)

Could you give me a few examples? = Could you give me some examples? (This is okay and acceptable)

NOTE:

Few > negative connotation > associated with count nouns
A few > positive connotation > associated with count nouns

COMPARE

Little = Not much > negative connotation > associated with non-count nouns
A little = Some > positive connotation > associated with non-count nouns

7

Thanks Anglophile for clarifying my doubts

8

Anglophile,

  1. Provided he finishes his studies, he’ll find an excellent job.
  2. Provided that we win the game, we’ll have a party.
  3. Provided (that) you complete the work assigned to you, You may leave the office early.
  4. Provided you bear all my expenses, I can accompany you wherever you go.
    Are they not correct?
    Please confirm.
    I think they are all type-I conditional sentences.
    Thanks
9

I’d prefer to begin these sentences with the main clauses. In the sense of ‘if’ they may be treated as Type-I conditional sentences.

10

Hi Allifathima,

Please open a new thread Provided that you want to clarify any query even same topic is discussed in others threads.

I replied to your previous question since the answer was known to me but it does not mean you clarify your query in others threads.

Hi Anglophile,

Please urge the candidate to adhere to the rules Provided they are not aware of it.

Regards,
William

11

Dear William,

None of us can claim that the topics we post on this forum or the pages that carry our topics are our own. Others are free to air their views or bring in their questions provided that such views/questions are connected with or relevant to what is being discussed. If what they say is not found acceptable, moderators/native speakers will step in with corrections, additions, clarifications etc which may also lead to a continuing debate. If you watch it with patience, you will not only enjoy the arguments but also discern and learn many things.

Though a new topic should, no doubt, appear as a fresh thread, there is no hard and fast rule in this regard as far as I have observed. Of course, it is always preferable to hold topic-wise discussions.

You may hear more from founders like Alan.

12

:frowning:

13

:frowning:

14

Thanks

15

I am unable to delete the post instead of that i wrote Thanks.

16

Hi Anglophile,
Once someone else adds something else to the thread after their post, it is locked and the user cannot delete it. By sending the message requesting that William deletes his post you made it impossible for him to delete it!

17

It’s not impossible, Bev. I HAVE deleted my duplicate posts immediately after the first response. It sometimes allows us. Of course, as you say, if one tries to delete it after two or more replies, it may not be possible.

18

If you have managed to do it after one reply, then I can only assume you must have been very quick. It is generally not possible once a reply has been made. By asking William to delete his post, you stopped him doing so.
In the past when you have done something similar, I have deleted the duplicate posts for the members. (It can still be done through a moderator account.)

19

Maybe. Now I think Torsten would delete them.

20

I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you mean by that.
I don’t suppose it matters anyway, as long as William now understands that it wasn’t his fault he was unable to delete the post you asked him to remove.