This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Yusef in Egypt about the words still and unless. Dear VOA Learning English,
When the word still is the first word in sentences, I am not sure what it can mean.
Can you explain about this?
Also, can you explain about the word unless? Thank you.
I'm happy to answer your questions, Yusef.
When the word still is used at the beginning of a sentence,
it has a different meaning than the usual ones it has as an adverb.
As an adverb, still can describe an action that began in the past and continues into the present. For example,
The store is still open.
She still does not have enough money to buy a car.
But when still begins a sentence, it has a similar meaning to the word however.
Using it suggests the sentence will offer something different from or surprising
compared to the sentence or paragraph that came before it. Consider the following examples.
He earns much less money in his new job.
Still, he has more than enough money to pay his bills.
The country's economy has been very weak in recent years.
Still, many foreign companies plan to invest there. Unless
The online version of Oxford's Learner's Dictionary gives the following two definitions for the word unless. 1.
That something can only happen or be true in a particular situation. 2.
The only situation in which something will not happen or be true.
So, the word unless means something can happen only if something else is, or is not, the case. For example,
We will eat outside unless it rains.
Unless the situation at the company improves, many employees might quit their jobs.
For English learners, some expressions can seem very difficult to understand.
Still, you can study them by carefully looking at examples and finding answers to your questions.
For our readers and listeners, what are your questions about American English?
We want to hear from you.
Send us an email at learningenglishatvoanews.com.
And please let us know where you are from, too.
And that's Ask a Teacher. I'm Andrew Smith.