Which term is the main clause in a conditional sentence?

Which term is the main clause in a conditional sentence?

• A. Apodosis
• B. Tautology
• C. Phatic speech
• D. Structural syllabus

Answer: (A)

In a conditional sentence, the part that states the result is called the apodosis. It expresses the outcome or consequence of the condition and can often stand as a complete sentence if the condition is understood. For example: If it rains, we will cancel the picnic. Here, the apodosis is “we will cancel the picnic,” the clause that shows what happens as a result of the condition. The other part, the clause with the condition, is the protasis. The other terms don’t fit this role: tautology means needless repetition, phatic speech refers to small-talk functions, and structural syllabus isn’t a term used for identifying parts of a conditional sentence.

In a conditional sentence, the part that states the result is called the apodosis. It expresses the outcome or consequence of the condition and can often stand as a complete sentence if the condition is understood. For example: If it rains, we will cancel the picnic. Here, the apodosis is “we will cancel the picnic,” the clause that shows what happens as a result of the condition. The other part, the clause with the condition, is the protasis.

The other terms don’t fit this role: tautology means needless repetition, phatic speech refers to small-talk functions, and structural syllabus isn’t a term used for identifying parts of a conditional sentence.