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Lisez silencieusement sans parler, sinon vous recevez un avertissement.

Lisez silencieusement sans parler, sinon vous recevez un avertissement.
Read silently without speaking, otherwise you receive a warning.
From Lesson 254:Conditional alternatives (sinon)·French

Questions & Answers about Lisez silencieusement sans parler, sinon vous recevez un avertissement.

How is sinon used in this sentence?
Sinon means "otherwise" or "if not". It acts as a connector linking the command (Lisez silencieusement) to the negative consequence that will happen if the command is ignored (vous recevez un avertissement).
Why is it sans parler and not "sans parlant" for "without speaking"?
In French, prepositions like sans (without), pour (for), and de (of/from) are always followed by the infinitive (unconjugated) form of the verb. Even though we say "without speaking" in English, French requires sans parler.
Could I use the future tense and say sinon vous recevrez?
Yes, you can! Both are correct. Using the present tense (vous recevez) is a very common way to make the consequence feel immediate and guaranteed, similar to saying "otherwise you get a warning" instead of "you will get a warning" in English.
What verb is avertissement related to?
It comes from the verb avertir, which means "to warn". By adding the suffix -ement, it turns into a noun, making un avertissement mean "a warning".
How is the adverb silencieusement formed?
It follows the standard French rule for creating adverbs: take the feminine form of the adjective, which is silencieuse (silent), and add -ment (the equivalent of "-ly" in English).

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