1 —used to talk about the negative result or effect of something You should study. If not, you won’t pass the test. 2 —used to express surprise about meeting someone when it is not expected So I went to the game and who should I see there if not my old friend Tom!
Contents
How do you use if not only?
Sentence examples for if not only from inspiring English sources. If not, only peanut butter and jelly. “The World Cup,” he said, “is FIFA’s biggest if not only global event. What if not only the premise but also its rendition were perfect?
Can I start a sentence with if not?
Yes, you can start a sentence with if not. If not (along with if so) is a conditional phrase made by reducing a conditional clause. If so means if that is the case. If not means if that is not the case.
Is it if not or if no?
You say “if not”. You don’t say “if no”. In BE, “if no” is relatively common.
How do you use if not the best?
To take your example: “It was one of, if not the, best experience[s] of my life.” ‘It was one of’ requires one of a number, so calls for: ‘best experiences’, however, the alternative: ‘if not the’ only calls for a singular, which would be: ‘best experience’, and thus we have a contradiction.
What does IF NOT MEAN?
phrase. You use if not in front of a word or phrase to indicate that your statement does not apply to that word or phrase, but to something closely related to it that you also mention. She understood his meaning, if not his words, and took his advice. See full dictionary entry for if.
Can I use not only without but also?
When not only is followed by but also (or simply but), it’s considered good form to make sure the parts that follow each set of words are formatted the same way.
What is a synonym of if not?
otherwise. adverbin another way; alternatively. any other way. at another time. contrarily.
How do you use if in a sentence?
You use if in conditional sentences to introduce the circumstances in which an event or situation might happen, might be happening, or might have happened.
- She gets very upset if I exclude her.
- You’ll feel a lot better about yourself if you work on solutions to your upsetting situations.
- You can go if you want.
Does if not need a comma?
If the dependent clause follows the independent one, no comma is places before if, whether, because, although, since, when, while, unless, etc. Rule 6: Use commas before and after parts of the sentence that are not essential to its meaning.
Is if not a conjunction?
In English grammar, a conjunction is a word that joins together sentences, clauses, phrases, or words. If and whether are referred to as subordinating conjunctions, which means that they are elements that form sentences into word groups called, well, subordinate clauses.
What does if so mean?
“If so” means “If this is the case” “If yes” literally means “If ‘yes'” If so, I’ll give you a call when I get there. If yes, then I’ll quickly call my friend.
How do you use unless and if in a sentence?
Using if and unless
- If you do not finish the job in time, you will be sacked.
- Unless you finish the job in time, you will be sacked.
- You must not violate the rules.
- If you violate the rules, you will be in trouble.
- Unless you violate the rules, you will not be in trouble.
- He will have to work hard.
How do you punctuate one if not?
“one of the best” + noun plural. Anna Netrebko is one of the best operatic performers, if not the best. I prefer the above construction, but you could insert “if not the best” between commas, eg: Angela Merkel is one of the best, if not the best, leaders that Europe has ever had.
What does if not before mean?
It means: “Still, most people in Pakistan hope to fall in love, at least after marriage if not before (marriage).” In many societies, you fall in love and then get married.
What does if not sooner mean?
If you say that no sooner has one thing happened than another thing happens, you mean that the second thing happens immediately after the first thing. No sooner had he arrived in Rome than he was kidnapped. See full dictionary entry for sooner.
Who said if not why not?
The English author-priest Mark Pattison used the phrase in an essay published posthumously in 1845 in the Anglican periodical Christian Remembrancer: “The style of Bede, if not elegant Latin, is yet correct, sufficiently classical.”
How do you say not in a formal way?
“If not” and “if you don’t” are formal enough for this letter.
How do you use whether or not in a sentence?
Whether or not sentence example
- It matters to me, whether or not you think it should!
- She wondered again whether or not he had a harem elsewhere.
- The demon peered out at him, as if trying to judge whether or not he lied.
- If he made a choice, she wanted it to be the choice he’d make whether or not she was there.
What word means not possible?
Not able to occur or to be achieved. impossible. unachievable. implausible. unattainable.
Where do we use if?
We use if to introduce a possible or unreal situation or condition. We use when to refer to the time of a future situation or condition that we are certain of: You can only go in if you’ve got your ticket.