provided and providing - the difference

The Quick Answer
The words provided and providing are interchangeable when used to mean on condition that.

Provided and Providing

The words provided and providing are interchangeable when used to mean on condition that.

Examples:
  • Provided that the weather is fine, we'll have a picnic on Saturday.
  • Providing that the weather is fine, we'll have a picnic on Saturday.
  • Tony will attend provided that Sarah is not chairing the meeting.
  • The newspaper did not publish the photographs because they were given by a confidential source who did so provided that we not release them before the elections.

No Need for That

The word that can be omitted.

Examples:
  • Provided the weather is fine, we'll have a picnic on Saturday.
  • Providing the weather is fine, we'll have a picnic on Saturday.
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See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose?
What are conjunctions? List of easily confused words