Used as conjunctions, they mean the same thing — "on condition that". <em>Provided that the weather holds, we'll walk</em> and <em>Providing the weather holds, we'll walk</em> are both correct, though <em>provided</em> is considerably more common and sounds more formal. <em>Providing</em> also has a far more everyday job as an ordinary participle: <em>a company providing legal advice</em>.
The core difference: frequency and formality
In their conditional sense, both words are established English and neither is an error. What differs is where they turn up. Provided — usually provided that — is the form found in contracts, policies and formal prose. Providing is heard more in speech and informal writing, and some conservative editors still prefer to change it, though there is no grammatical basis for doing so.
Be honest with yourself about the register you are writing in. In a tenancy agreement, write provided that. In an email to a colleague, either is fine.
The test you can run
Substitute as long as or on condition that. If it fits, you are in the conditional sense and both words are available — so pick provided for anything formal and use whichever reads better elsewhere.
You can borrow the car, as long as you fill it up → provided you fill it up ✓ / providing you fill it up ✓
If the substitution fails, you are looking at the ordinary verb, and then the two are not interchangeable at all.
The verb uses, which are not interchangeable
Most of the time these words are just tenses of provide, and mixing them produces real errors:
- The council provided temporary housing. (past tense — providing would be wrong)
- The council is providing temporary housing. (continuing action — provided would be wrong)
- A charity providing hot meals (participle describing the charity)
So before choosing, check whether the word is introducing a condition or simply reporting what someone does.
The edge case: dropping "that"
The that is optional in both: provided you sign by Friday and provided that you sign by Friday are equally correct. Keeping it is clearer in long or legal sentences, where the reader needs a signpost that a condition is starting. Dropping it is lighter in ordinary prose.
One common mistake is stacking conditions: If provided that you agree is redundant, because provided already carries the if. Use one or the other.
Note too that provided as a conjunction always introduces a requirement, not a mere possibility. If the clause is not a condition of the main statement — if it is just extra information — you want and or while, not provided.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "providing that" grammatically correct?
Yes. It is standard English in the conditional sense and appears in edited writing, though provided that is commoner and safer in formal documents.
Do I need the word "that" after provided?
No, it is optional. Include it in formal or long sentences where it helps the reader see the condition beginning; drop it in casual writing.
Can I use "provided" instead of "if"?
Only when you mean a genuine condition or requirement. Provided implies the outcome depends on it, so it is stronger and more formal than a plain if — and you should never write both together.