Conditional Clause
Pattern
if/unless + S + VP — hypothesis-setting clause
Definition
A dependent clause expressing a condition, typically introduced by 'if', 'unless', 'provided that', or 'whether'. Establishes hypothetical or contingent scenarios.
Examples
Example 1
If it rains tomorrow, the game will be cancelled — 'if it rains tomorrow' sets up the condition.
AI Detection Note
AI conditionals tend toward the safe and obvious — they set up conditions that the audience already knows or that are trivially true. Human conditionals more often introduce genuinely uncertain or surprising contingencies.
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