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?
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.
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.