ENGLISH
REFERENCE

as long as

fixed phr..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

fixed phr.. you use this to say that one thing will only happen if another thing happens first.

fixed phr.. a subordinating conjunction used to introduce a conditional clause; it functions as a synonym for 'provided that' or 'on the condition that'.


SIMPLE

You can go out as long as you finish your homework.

CONTEXTUAL

The company will continue to support the project as long as the initial results remain positive.

COMPLEX

The treaty remains in effect as long as both nations adhere to the agreed-upon environmental standards and reporting protocols.

Usage

usually followed by a clause in the present tense to refer to future conditions.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'if' to show that 'as long as' emphasizes the duration or the strictness of the condition; it is often more emphatic than a simple 'if'.

Pitfall

I will go as long you go.I will go as long as you go.the phrase requires two instances of 'as' to function correctly as a conditional marker.

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