Conditionals Besides If and Unless

Conditionals Besides If and Unless Conditionals Besides If and Unless Conditionals Besides If and Unless By Mark Nichol If and unless are common conditional conjunctions employed to express conjecture and uncertainty, but a number of other words and phrases that perform similar functions are discussed in this post. â€Å"Should you† is the future conditional form of â€Å"do you,† seen in formally polite requests such as â€Å"Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.† It is more flexible than â€Å"if you,† which is strictly conditional in the present, in inviting the audience to contact the speaker/writer at any time, not just now. â€Å"Had you† is an example of a subject-auxiliary inversion, employed in statements such as ‘Had you bothered to ask, I would have told you.† The implication of the sentence is that the audience did not do something that, if he or she or they had, would have achieved the stated result. â€Å"If (noun/pronoun) were† statements pertain to possible but improbable occurrences or to recommendations, as in â€Å"If you were to open your eyes, you would find what you were looking for.† A more formal version of this form is â€Å"were (noun/pronoun) to (verb),† as in â€Å"Were we to think otherwise.† Several words or phrases impose conditions or set limits, such as â€Å"As long as† (less formal) or â€Å"so long as,† (more formal), â€Å"only if,† â€Å"on condition that,† and â€Å"provided† or â€Å"providing† (or â€Å"provided/providing that†). The conjunction or is used conditionally to establish an alternative possibility to a condition or state: â€Å"Hurry up, or you’ll be late.† Otherwise, as used earlier in this post, is a pronoun; as a conjunctive adverb, it serves the same function as or (but notice the difference in punctuation): â€Å"Hurry up; otherwise, you’ll be late.† (Some writing guides accept the punctuation used with or.) Suppose and supposing apply to what-if situations: â€Å"Suppose that I were to say no- what would you do?† â€Å"Supposing that I were to say no, what would you do?† Suppose also pertains to proposing an idea, as in â€Å"Suppose I pay for dinner, and you buy the movie tickets?† In â€Å"if only,† only appears as an intensifier to express a strong wish for a different condition or state, as in â€Å"If only you had told me before.† â€Å"If so† and â€Å"if not† pertain to opposite potential affirmative and negative conditions or states, respectively, when the condition or state is known: â€Å"Do you plan to attend the event? If so, click on yes. If not, click on no.† Even is also used as an intensifier with if, but unlike in the case of only, it precedes if; it pertains to extreme or surprising conditions or states, as in â€Å"Even if I were to believe you, what would you expect me to do about it?† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who†35 Genres and Other Varieties of FictionAdvance vs. Advanced

Tokyo Travel Itinerary

Tokyo Travel Itinerary Tokyo Travel Itinerary I have decided to leave for Tokyo, Japan on December 9, 2011 which is a Friday, and return on December 18, 2011 which is a Sunday. My round trip ticket will cost me $1282. The outbound flight will last almost 12 hours which will bring me to Tokyos Narita International Airport on December 10, 2011, a Saturday afternoon. My $2500 sojourn in the chosen destination will officially start on a Sunday. It is nerve-racking and exciting at the same time. Before I get to my itinerary though, I need to get my requirements ready. First, I will need a U.S. passport. Its a good thing I have one already, which will not expire in the next 6 months. But if I hadnt, it would take me 4 to 6 week to process a U.S. passport application. For a U.S. adult citizen to apply for a passport, anyone can go online to http://travel.state.gov/ which will show you the whole process. A brief rundown is as follows: submit in person a completed Form DS-11, evidence of U.S. citizenship, identification, a photocopy of the identification document(s), payment for fees which amounts to $165, and one passport photo. Since I would be visiting for less than 2 weeks, I wont need a visa. This privilege can extend up to 90 days, and is called visa-free stays. When I get there, it would be important for me to take note of the U.S. Embassys address in Tokyo in case I lose my passport or if I find myself in a difficult, tight situation. No one knows what can happen in a foreign land, right? Anyway, it is located in 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420, and their number is 81-3-3224-5000. It would also be prudent of me to enroll in a free service by our government, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which will keep me up-to-date with important safety and security announcements, and help my family get in touch with me in case of an emergency. Japan is a highly developed country, and Tokyo is its capital. Although it has widely available tourist facilities, some areas remain to be off limits such as the coastal areas of Northeast Japan still recovering from the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami last March, and also areas within 20 kilometers of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. Radiation however is believed to impose low health and safety risks if exposure lasts less than a year. Occasional aftershocks, however, are reportedly common to be felt in all of Japan. As for terrorist incidents, there had been none since 1995. So I it is quite safe to visit Tokyo. Before setting the dates for my long-awaited travel, I was told to visit our family doctor to have my health checked and get vaccinations that I needed before my journey. It was fortunate that I had planned this well over 6 weeks ago, so there was time for the vaccines to take effect. Routine vaccine shots I received were for influenza, chickenpox, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. If I had planned on going to rural farming areas, I would have also received shots for Japanese encephalitis. Also, avian flu still thrives in Japan, so I was advised to steer clear of birds and chickens. Other suggestions my doctor gave me were to avoid unpasteurized dairy products, wash my hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based gel, especially before eating. Other valuable information on health safety can be found in http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/. Japans language is Japanese, and their currency is Japanese Yen. One U.S. dollar is approximately equivalent to 78 Japanese Yen. Standard of living is definitely high and one of the highest in the world. As for my itinerary, I will be spending 7 days wandering around Tokyo, and maybe spend a day or two in nearby Kamakura, Yokohama, and Kyoto. It is winter time now, and Tokyo experiences relatively mild winters with little or no snowfall, so I imagine the weather to be really nice. After arriving in Narita International Airport, I will catch the JR Narita Express to get to Shinjuku. I have booked myself in Rose Garden Hotel, which is a 3-star hotel, charging $34 a night which is not too bad and actually one of the least expensive hotels in the area. This is where Ill be staying for the rest of my trip. I have chosen Shinjuku since it is centrally located and has numerous links for transport. Official Day 1: Sunday I will start my day in Shibuya and go to Meiji Jingu Shrine which is a Shinto shrine located within a forest of 175 acres. This area is covered by 120,000 evergreen trees, and visited as a place for recreation and relaxation in the heart of Tokyo. Around Shibuya are major trendy shopping centers and is considered the fashionable district of Tokyo. In the afternoon, I will have a chance to witness the fashion in Harajuku which is purportedly a spectacle not to be missed. Cafes and restaurants will usher me into the evening. Official Day 2: Monday Kyoto I have made reservations for a Kyoto day tour. My mode of transportation from and back to Shinjuku will be the bullet train. The tour will take me to Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, which is a Zen Buddhist temple. It is one of the most famous buildings in the whole of Japan. Up next is Heian Shrine which is another Shinto shrine. Then the Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera which is an independent Buddhist temple that has a great view of Kyoto from its soaring veranda. Next is the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the residence of the Imperial family until the capital was relocated to Tokyo in 1869. Then the SanjÃ… «sangendÃ…  or the Hall of the Lotus King which houses 1001 statues going as far back as the 13th century. And finally, the NijÃ…  Castle which is a flatland castle. Official Day 3: Tuesday Day 3 will be another day tour to see Mt. Fuji through the bullet train. Lunch will be served on the famous mountain, then attend a cruise on Lake Ashi and ride aerial cableway at Mount Komagatake while revelling the view of Hakone National Park. Official Day 4: Wednesday Kamakura and Yokohama This time I will be going to Kamakura and Yokohama via the Shonan-Shinjuku line to Ofuna Station, and transfer to Yokosuka line to Kamakura Station, and transfer again to Enoshima Dentetsu line to Hase Station. From the Hase Station, it will be a 500-meter walk to reach the Kotokuin Temple where the Great Buddha resides. Then off to Hase-dera which is one of the great Buddhist temples. Next will be Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gÃ… « which is the most important Shinto shrine in Kamakura. Then Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gÃ… «which is the most significant shrine in Kamakura. Then off to Yokohama through the Rapid Airport Narita train to see the Yokohama Landmark Tower, Yokohama Museum of Art, the Ferris Wheel at Yokohama Cosmo World, the Nippon Maru - Sail training Ship and the Yokohama Maritime Museum. Official Day 5: Thursday This time I will head to the Ueno Park which has the Toshogu Shrine, Bentendo Hall Temple, Tokyo National Museum, National Museum of Western Art, and the Tokyo National Science Museum. Official Day 6: Friday Day 6 will be yet another day tour to Toshogu Shrine, Lake Chuzenji, Nikko World Heritage, and Kegon Waterfall. Official day 7: Saturday My last official day in Tokyo, I will spend in central Tokyo. First stop will be the observation deck of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building for its breathtaking view. Then the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden which is said to be lovely. Next stop will be Ginza for my final shopping before I come back State side. It was exhausting planning this trip but I imagine it to be worth all the headache it had caused me the past days. I am excited to immerse myself in a very foreign culture, get to know a few of the locals, and see the world from a Japanese perspective. This will be enlightening as well as educational for me. I cannot wait.

Modern technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modern technology - Essay Example Our recent use of smartphones however seems to defeat that purpose because we have become more disconnected than we were because of our excessive use of smartphones. Smartphone is â€Å"a  mobile phone  with more advanced computing capability and connectivity than basic  feature phones. Early smartphones typically combined the features of a mobile phone with those of another popular consumer device, such as a  personal digital assistant  (PDA), a media player, a  digital camera, and/or a  GPS navigation unit. Later smartphones include all of those plus the features of a  touchscreen  computer, including  web browsing,  Wi-Fi, and 3rd-party  apps† (Wikipedia). In short, smartphone is a mobile phone that has the capability of a computer because it does not only allow us to send text messages and make phone calls, but also has processing capability to get into the internet, play applications as well as take and record videos and pictures. Having a smartphone is like having a computer in our pockets where the world can be reached with tip of our fingers. Through it, we can reach virtually connect to almost anyone from anywhere in the world. It made our life very convenient because many transactions and activities can already be done online through our smartphones. Transactions such as banking and paying our bills which usually takes time and effort to do because we have to physically do it but can now be done through our smartphones saving us time and money. Shopping are also made easier through our smartphones because we can now buy online through our smartphones and even have it delivered right at our doorsteps. Basically, the capabilities of smartphone now seem to be endless and the possibilities that can be done with it is still evolving because developers are still thinking of new ways on how it can still be harnessed. Despite of the many