Sentence, Clause, Phrase - Introduction to Conditional Sentences

Sometimes sentences are framed in order to show the main clause as being dependent on some sort of condition, i.e., the idea expressed in the main clause is fulfilled on the condition that the idea contained in the dependent clause is fulfilled. This dependent clause is also called the ‘If clause’.

For example:

If I were the king of this land, I would ensure that everybody got their daily bread.

The sentence can be broken up into two clauses as follows:

If I were the king of this land (IF CLAUSE) I would ensure that everybody got their daily bread. (MAIN CLAUSE)

Here, the action stated in the main clause (ensuring daily bread for everybody) can be fulfilled only on the condition that the idea stated in the If clause (being the king) is fulfilled.

[Note: When the If clause comes first, the main clause is always preceded by a comma. Comma is not used when the If clause follows the main clause.]