If so,

Question

Is there any difference between "If so, ..." and "If yes, ..."?

KrisBlueNZ · Accepted Answer

Yes. It depends on how the previous sentence or question was worded.

"I think I'm due for a holiday. If so, I would like to take next Thursday off."
For this statement, "I think I'm due for a holiday", and the question "Am I due for a holiday?", the two possibilites are that "it is so" (I am due for a holiday) and "it is not so" (I am not due for a holiday). You can then continue with "If so, ..." or "If not, ...".

"I would like to take a holiday. Is that OK with you? If yes, I would like to take next Thursday as my holiday."
For the question "Is this OK with you?", the answer is either yes (it's OK) or no (it isn't OK). You can then continue with "If yes, ..." or "If no, ..."

In this case, "if yes" and "if no" are shortened forms of "If the answer is yes" and "If the answer is no", and would probably not be used in formal writing.

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