Linking Words & Discourse Markers – English Grammar Exercises for B2
A manager is setting strict prerequisites and boundaries for an employee who has requested a remote work arrangement.
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence from the manager’s email and verbal agreements.
1 “I am willing to approve your request to work from home, ______ you maintain your current level of productivity.”
(A) as far as
(B) as long as
(C) so long
(D) as long
2 “You may work remotely twice a week ______ that you attend all mandatory departmental meetings via video call.”
(A) providing to
(B) provided
(C) assuming to
(D) provide
3 “The company will supply you with a high-end laptop and a secondary monitor, ______ condition that they are used strictly for business purposes.”
(A) on the
(B) with the
(C) in the
(D) at the
4 “You can completely customize your own working hours ______ your daily tasks are completed by 5:00 PM.”
(A) unless
(B) provided with
(C) provide that
(D) providing that
5 “I will sign this remote work contract right now, ______ you remain available on our messaging platform between 9 AM and 3 PM.”
(A) on the condition that
(B) on condition of
(C) with condition that
(D) in the condition that
6 “Your flexible schedule is fully approved ______ it does not negatively impact the collaborative efforts of the team.”
(A) so long that
(B) as long
(C) as far as
(D) so long as
7 “We have no problem with you working from a café occasionally, ______ your internet connection is secure and stable.”
(A) provided that
(B) even if
(C) provide
(D) providing to
8 “______ that you meet all your quarterly key performance indicators (KPIs), we can extend this work-from-home arrangement indefinitely.”
(A) Unless
(B) Provide
(C) Provided
(D) Providing of
9 “You are free to relocate to another city, on the condition ______ you notify the HR department at least thirty days in advance.”
(A) if
(B) that
(C) of
(D) which
10 “I will grant you access to the company’s internal servers, ______ you agree to strictly follow our cybersecurity protocols.”
(A) in case
(B) as long that
(C) so long that
(D) as long as
11 “The executive management team agrees to this proposal, ______ that you submit a detailed daily progress report.”
(A) providing
(B) provision
(C) provided to
(D) given
12 “You can take an extended lunch break to go to the gym ______ you make up for the lost time in the evening.”
(A) in condition that
(B) on the condition of
(C) as long to
(D) on the condition that
13 “We will definitely reimburse your home office expenses ______ you provide valid, itemized receipts at the end of the month.”
(A) provided that
(B) providing for
(C) even if
(D) provide that
14 “Working from a different time zone is acceptable ______ long as your hours overlap with core business hours for at least four hours.”
(A) very
(B) so
(C) too
(D) as far
15 “You may handle confidential client calls from your home ______ that there is absolutely no background noise during the meetings.”
(A) in condition
(B) so long
(C) provided
(D) providing of
16 “I am authorizing this decentralized setup ______ you guarantee your absolute availability for urgent client escalations.”
(A) as long
(B) so far as
(C) whereas
(D) as long as
17 “______ you keep your shared calendar updated with your exact working hours, I don’t mind when you log on.”
(A) Provided that
(B) Providing with
(C) Provide that
(D) Whether
18 “We can transition your contract to a hybrid role ______ the condition that you come into the physical office every Tuesday.”
(A) on
(B) in
(C) with
(D) under
19 “You are permitted to use your personal device for company work ______ that it passes the IT department’s deep security scan.”
(A) despite
(B) provided of
(C) provides
(D) providing
20 “This highly flexible working arrangement will remain in effect ______ your individual performance metrics do not drop.”
(A) unless
(B) providing of
(C) so long as
(D) as long that
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) as long as
- Why it is correct: “As long as” is a conditional conjunction meaning “only if” or “on the condition that.” It perfectly sets the boundary for the approval.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Meaning Trap: “As far as” relates to distance or extent of knowledge (e.g., as far as I know), not conditions. (C) Structural Error: Missing the second “as”. (D) Common Mistake: Missing the second “as”.
2 (B) provided
- Why it is correct: “Provided (that)” is a formal conjunction used to introduce a strict prerequisite.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Structural Error: “Providing” takes “that,” not the preposition “to”. (C) Meaning Trap: “Assuming” is used for hypotheticals, and “assuming to” is grammatically invalid here. (D) Structural Error: “Provide” is a verb, but a conjunction is needed to link the clauses.
3 (A) on the
- Why it is correct: The standard idiom for introducing a strict boundary is “on the condition that.”
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Common Mistake: Incorrect preposition (“with”). (C) Common Mistake: Incorrect preposition (“in”). (D) Structural Error: Incorrect preposition (“at”).
4 (D) providing that
- Why it is correct: “Providing that” functions exactly like “provided that” as a formal conditional linking phrase.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Meaning Trap: “Unless” means “if not,” which reverses the logic (you can choose your hours if you don’t finish by 5 PM). (B) Structural Error: “Provided with” means “supplied with” (Passive voice), not a condition. (C) Structural Error: Base verb used instead of a participle/conjunction.
5 (A) on the condition that
- Why it is correct: A formal, emphatic phrase setting a non-negotiable rule before an agreement is made.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Structural Error: “On condition of” must be followed by a noun or gerund (V-ing), not a full subject-verb clause. (C) Common Mistake: Missing the article “the”. (D) Structural Error: Incorrect preposition (“in”).
6 (D) so long as
- Why it is correct: “So long as” is fully interchangeable with “as long as” in conditional sentences, often sounding slightly more formal or emphatic.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Structural Error: Incorrect conjunction pairing (“so long that”). (B) Common Mistake: Missing the second “as”. (C) Meaning Trap: “As far as” defines limits/distance, not conditions for approval.
7 (A) provided that
- Why it is correct: Establishes a mandatory technical requirement (secure internet) for the privilege of working from a café.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Meaning Trap: “Even if” introduces a concession (meaning you can work from a café despite the internet being secure/insecure), ruining the managerial boundary. (C) Structural Error: Verb used instead of a conjunction. (D) Structural Error: Incorrect preposition “to”.
8 (C) Provided
- Why it is correct: “Provided” can start a sentence to establish the condition upon which the main clause depends. The word “that” is optional but often omitted for flow.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Meaning Trap: “Unless” reverses the logic, meaning “If you fail your KPIs, we will extend the arrangement.” (B) Structural Error: Base verb. (D) Structural Error: “Providing” never takes the preposition “of”.
9 (B) that
- Why it is correct: Completes the phrase “on the condition that,” linking the noun phrase to the dependent clause (you notify HR).
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Structural Error: “On the condition if” is grammatically redundant. (C) Structural Error: “On the condition of” requires a noun or V-ing (“of notifying”). (D) Structural Error: “Which” is a relative pronoun that doesn’t fit the conditional structure here.
10 (D) as long as
- Why it is correct: Sets a strict security condition for a privilege.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Meaning Trap: “In case” means “as a precaution” (e.g., take an umbrella in case it rains). It does not mean “on the condition that”. (B) Structural Error: Mixing structures (“as long that” doesn’t exist). (C) Structural Error: Mixing structures.
11 (A) providing
- Why it is correct: “Providing (that)” is a highly formal alternative to “If,” perfectly suited for executive decisions and contracts.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Structural Error: “Provision” is a noun. (C) Structural Error: Cannot use the preposition “to” here. (D) Meaning Trap: “Given that” means “considering the fact that,” which is used for premises, not future conditional requirements.
12 (D) on the condition that
- Why it is correct: Links the granted permission (gym break) with the mandatory requirement (making up the time).
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Common Mistake: Incorrect preposition (“in”). (B) Structural Error: “Of” must be followed by a noun/gerund. (C) Structural Error: Incorrect phrasing.
13 (A) provided that
- Why it is correct: Sets a strict financial rule for reimbursement.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Meaning Trap/Structural Error: “Providing for” means “financially supporting,” which makes no sense here. (C) Meaning Trap: “Even if” destroys the conditional requirement (we will pay you even if you give us receipts). (D) Structural Error: Base verb.
14 (B) so
- Why it is correct: Completes the conditional phrase “so long as”.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Common Mistake: “Very long as” is grammatically invalid. (C) Common Mistake: “Too long as” is invalid. (D) Meaning Trap: “As far” creates a different, incorrect idiom.
15 (C) provided
- Why it is correct: “Provided (that)” sets a non-negotiable professional boundary for taking calls at home.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Common Mistake: Incorrect preposition and missing “that”. (B) Structural Error: Missing the second “as”. (D) Structural Error: “Providing” does not take “of”.
16 (D) as long as
- Why it is correct: Establishes the core requirement (availability) for the decentralized setup.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Common Mistake: Missing the second “as”. (B) Meaning Trap: “So far as” means “to the extent that” and isn’t used for strict conditions. (C) Meaning Trap: “Whereas” is used to show contrast, not conditions.
17 (A) Provided that
- Why it is correct: When starting a sentence, it establishes the fundamental rule upon which the rest of the statement depends.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Structural Error: “Providing with” means supplying someone with something. (C) Structural Error: Base verb. (D) Meaning Trap: “Whether” introduces a choice or doubt, not a condition.
18 (A) on
- Why it is correct: Completes the idiom “on the condition that.”
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Common Mistake: “in”. (C) Common Mistake: “with”. (D) Meaning Trap: “under” is sometimes used loosely in spoken English (under the condition), but “on” is the grammatically standard and expected preposition for B2/C1 exams.
19 (D) providing
- Why it is correct: “Providing (that)” acts as the conditional conjunction for the IT security rule.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Meaning Trap: “Despite” means “even though,” which removes the safety requirement. (B) Structural Error: “Provided” does not take “of”. (C) Structural Error: Present tense verb form, not a conjunction.
20 (C) so long as
- Why it is correct: Sets the ongoing boundary required to maintain the flexible working arrangement.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Meaning Trap: “Unless” (if not) reverses the logic: “It will remain in effect if your metrics drop.” (B) Structural Error. (D) Common Mistake: “As long that” is an incorrect mixture of idioms.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
When you are in a position of authority (like a manager) or negotiating a contract, using the word “If” can sometimes sound too casual or weak. To establish strict, mandatory prerequisites, use these B2/C1 linking words:
- Provided (that) / Providing (that):
- Function: Means “only if.” It emphasizes that the agreement is entirely dependent on this specific rule.
- Example: “You can work remotely provided that your internet is stable.”
- As long as / So long as:
- Function: Focuses on the duration or continuity of the condition. The agreement stands only while the rule is being followed.
- Example: “The arrangement is approved so long as your performance doesn’t drop.”
- On the condition that:
- Function: The most formal and explicit way to set a boundary. It leaves no room for misunderstanding.
- Grammar Trap: Always use the preposition ON. Do not use in, with, or at.
- Example: “I agree, on the condition that you attend all meetings.”
- The “Unless” Trap:
- Unless means “if not.” Be careful in exams! If you use “unless” instead of “provided that,” you completely reverse the logic of the sentence.