Level 5 — Advanced · Technical & Evaluative Speaking
Drill 67: Stating a Conditional Rule Live
Say 'if,' 'only if,' and 'unless' out loud for exactly the logical direction you mean — no script, no Bangla translation step.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this drill, you should be able to:
- Speak 'if' and 'only if' for the correct logical direction, live
- State an 'unless' exception in the same breath as the rule
- Give a conditional rule immediately, with no planning pause
Introduction
Lesson 67 taught you to read conditional language by its logical direction, not just its surface words. This drill asks you to state a conditional rule out loud, live, getting the direction right under time pressure — no chance to plan it on paper first.
Shadow the Model
If payment is received before the deadline, the order ships the same day. But the order can only be shipped if the address has been verified.
Notice how "only if" is spoken as a tight, fixed unit — never split apart or paused in the middle — since breaking it up would blur the exact condition being named.
Your Turn
Your Turn
You'll be given a short scenario. When the timer starts, state one rule using "if... then" for a sufficient condition, and one using "only if" for a necessary condition — getting the direction right for each, with no planning pause.
State the rules now — no planning, just speak
Record Yourself
State your conditional rules, then record it and compare the directions against the model.
Model Answer
Show a model answer
There's no single correct wording, but a strong answer keeps "if" for a condition that genuinely guarantees the outcome, and "only if" for a condition that's required but doesn't by itself guarantee anything — and doesn't mix the two up under pressure.
Vocabulary in Context
conditionnounneutral
a requirement that must be met before something else can happen (শর্ত)
Often with on condition that, meet the condition, necessary condition
“The container is released on condition that all fees are paid.”
guaranteeverbformal
to promise an outcome will definitely happen (নিশ্চয়তা দেওয়া)
Often with guarantee delivery, cannot guarantee, guarantee that
“We cannot guarantee delivery by Friday.”
Self-Check
Self-Check
- Did your "if" statement genuinely claim sufficiency, not just correlation?
- Did your "only if" statement avoid overclaiming that the condition guarantees the outcome?
- Did you respond immediately, with no planning pause?
Next: Speaking 68 — Explaining a Rule and Its Exception: telling a genuine exception apart from a limitation, live.