Conditional Clauses
What Is It?
A conditional clause sets a condition for the main clause. Classic form: If + condition, result.
Why Use Conditional Clauses?
- Logic — outlines cause–effect clearly.
- Planning — sets triggers for actions.
- Risk management — documents contingencies.
When to Choose Conditional Clauses
Runbooks, SLAs, feature flags, roadmap heuristics.
Forming Conditional-Clause Sentences
| Type | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Zero (facts) | If + S + present, S + present | “If latency hits 400 ms, alarms ring.” |
| First (real future) | If + S + present, S + will + V | “If tests fail, CI will block merge.” |
| Second (unreal present) | If + S + past, S + would + V | “If cache were bigger, RPS would rise.” |
| Third (unreal past) | If + S + had + pp, S + would have + pp | “If we had patched, outage would have ended sooner.” |
Tips for Writing with Conditional Clauses
- Align tense to probability.
- Avoid comma splices; use a comma after the if-clause when it precedes.
- Use modal precision (should for mild, must for strict).
- Document fallback steps alongside the clause.
Exceptions & Nuances
Unless flips polarity (“Unless tests pass, don’t deploy”). Provided that adds legal formality.