If so (ellipted) – English Grammar Profiler

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The ellipted conditional transitional clause:

If so,

means

if that is the case,

OR 

if that is so,

OR

if that is true,

OR

If yes, (confirming a ‘question’)

It is usually used at the start of a sentence connecting back to what was mentioned.  It is also used to add another question before an answer has been received to the previous yes-no question or just thinking out aloud about sequences of events.  For example:

But then I began to wonder whether a game or an app can really change attitudes and behaviors, and if so, can I measure that change?

A search in iWeb for:

? If so * *

1 ? IF SO, YOU 10229
2 ? IF SO, WHAT 9543

And if so, what are you two gonna do about it?

listen

3 ? IF SO, HOW 8914 4 ? IF SO, THEN 7179

5 ? IF SO, I 4785

If so, I believe I have the right to be confronted with any evidence that supports this question.

listen

6 ? IF SO, PLEASE 3184 7 ? IF SO, IT 2843 8 ? IF SO, WHY 2704 9 ? IF SO, THE 2418 10 ? IF SO, DO 2208 11 ? IF SO, IS 2072 12 ? IF SO, WE 2062 13 ? IF SO, THIS 2039 14 ? IF SO, THAT 1733 15 ? IF SO, WHICH 1548 16 ? IF SO, CAN 1401 17 ? IF SO, WHERE 1258 18 ? IF SO, ARE 1021 19 ? IF SO, DOES 948 20 ? IF SO, WOULD 936 21 ? IF SO, THERE 747 22 ? IF SO, DID 716 23 ? IF SO, WHO 709

24 ? IF SO, WHEN 707

25 ? IF SO, LET 660

26 ? IF SO, COULD 654 27 ? IF SO, THEY 634 28 ? IF SO, WILL 577 29 ? IF SO, A 576 30 ? IF SO, YOUR 575 31 ? IF SO, YOU’RE 540 32 ? IF SO, HAVE 521 33 ? IF SO, AND 483 34 ? IF SO, TRY 433 35 ? IF SO, CONSIDER 408 36 ? IF SO, CHECK 372 37 ? IF SO, SHOULD 371 38 ? IF SO, ANY 364 39 ? IF SO THEN YOU 360 40 ? IF SO, MAKE 358 41 ? IF SO HOW DO 357 42 ? IF SO I WOULD 345 43 ? IF SO, MAYBE 344 44 ? IF SO, ITS 342 45 ? IF SO, HE 335 46 ? IF SO, BE 315 47 ? IF SO, HERE 307 48 ? IF SO WHAT IS 295 49 ? IF SO, TAKE 293 50 ? IF SO, IN 292 51 ? IF SO, OUR 290 52 ? IF SO, WAS 280 53 ? IF SO, ID 272 54 ? IF SO, GET 266 55 ? IF SO CAN YOU 257 56 ? IF SO, FOR 254 57 ? IF SO HOW ? 251 58 ? IF SO, JUST 250 59 ? IF SO, TELL 246 60 ? IF SO YOU CAN 232 61 ? IF SO, LOOK 229 62 ? IF SO, READ 222 63 ? IF SO, PERHAPS 221 64 ? IF SO DO YOU 212 65 ? IF SO, GO 211 66 ? IF SO, THAT’S 208 67 ? IF SO, THESE 200 68 ? IF SO HOW MUCH 200 69 ? IF SO, SHARE 197 70 ? IF SO, YOULL 192 71 ? IF SO, WHAT’S 182 72 ? IF SO WHAT ARE 181 73 ? IF SO THEN I 177 74 ? IF SO, WERE 172 75 ? IF SO, LEAVE 169 76 ? IF SO THEN THE 167 77 ? IF SO, SEND 163 78 ? IF SO, GIVE 162 79 ? IF SO HOW LONG 156 80 ? IF SO YOU MAY 153 81 ? IF SO IS THERE 148 82 ? IF SO, USE 146 83 ? IF SO, JOIN 144 84 ? IF SO, KEEP 143 85 ? IF SO, BY 142 86 ? IF SO, MY 139 87 ? IF SO THEN THIS 137 88 ? IF SO WHAT WOULD 137 89 ? IF SO COULD YOU 136 90 ? IF SO, – 134 91 ? IF SO, AT 134 92 ? IF SO YOU SHOULD 134 93 ? IF SO, ASK 132 94 ? IF SO HOW DID 132 95 ? IF SO THEN IT 127 96 ? IF SO YOU COULD 124 97 ? IF SO, WED 123 98 ? IF SO I’D 121 99 ? IF SO, TO 119

100 ? IF SO, FEEL 118

A2 vocabulary:

by, check, could, if, join, just, keep, let, maybe, perhaps, share, should, so, try, were

*This phrase is listed at B2 in the EVP and B1 in the EGP.