if it depends

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "if it depends" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing a situation or outcome that is contingent upon certain factors or conditions. Example: "The success of the project will be evaluated based on various criteria, so if it depends on the budget, we may need to make adjustments."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

In a competitive and globalised business environment, a company can never out-perform its competitors, if it depends solely on its products alone.

Computers in Industry

"It's clear that the services business is not going to grow at the rate it needs to for I.B.M. to reach its corporate financial targets, if it depends on indigenous growth alone," said Bob Djurdjevic, president of Annex Research, a consulting firm.

The New York Times - Tech

If it depends on God for its existence, then the truth of Four exists depends counterfactually on the truth of the proposition God exists; if God exists were false, then Four exists would be false.

SEP

Another MDC spokesman believes that the president has run out of tricks to ensure his survival: "We are watching Houdini finally drowning in his chains", he says.But that may be wishful thinking, at least if it depends on the opposition getting its act together.

The Economist

A switching signal σ is said to be a state-feedback switching law if it depends on system states and its past value, that is, (sigma(t^)=sigma(x t),sigma(t^))) for system (2.1), where (sigma k+1)=sigma(x k),sigma k-1))).

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

I can't help but wonder if it depends on how famous I am at the time".

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

That delivery would be harder to manage, he notes, if it depended on individual consumers plugging their autos into the grid at more random times.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

For instance, if it depended on their home address, large employers in Glasgow could find they had staff paying around a dozen different rates of income tax.

BBC

The world would not survive if it depended upon my abilities with technology.

Huffington Post

We next asked whether the close association of the Smc heads was regulated during the cell cycle, and if it depended on Scc1.

EMBO Journal

Thus, we wanted to determine the origin of this rapid ROS response and if it depended on the LPS receptor TLR4.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "if it depends", ensure the factors influencing the outcome are clearly stated or easily understood from the context to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "if it depends" without specifying what the outcome depends on. Be explicit about the conditions or factors involved for clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "if it depends" functions as a conditional conjunction, introducing a clause that specifies the conditions under which a statement is true. As shown by Ludwig, it sets up a scenario where the outcome is not fixed but contingent on certain factors.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

35%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "if it depends" is a versatile phrase used to introduce conditional clauses, indicating that an outcome is contingent on specific factors. Grammatically correct and commonly used, as validated by Ludwig, it appears frequently in science, news media, and academic writing. When using this phrase, it's crucial to clearly specify the influencing factors to avoid ambiguity. While the phrase enjoys a neutral register and wide applicability, more formal alternatives like "contingent upon" may suit specific contexts better.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

dependent on

Direct synonym, replacing "depends" with its adjectival form.

contingent upon

Emphasizes the conditional nature, replacing the verb "depends" with a more formal adjective.

conditional on

Similar to "contingent upon" but with a slightly different preposition.

subject to

Highlights that the outcome is conditional and influenced by something else.

relying on

Focuses on the act of depending or trusting something for a specific outcome.

predicated on

A more formal way of saying something is based or dependent on something else.

based on

Shows that something is formed or created using specific information or influences.

hinges on

Implies a critical dependence, where everything else relies on this one factor.

determined by

Indicates a direct cause-and-effect relationship where one thing influences the other.

governed by

Suggests that the outcome is determined or controlled by specific rules or factors.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "if it depends" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using alternatives like "contingent upon", "conditional on", or "predicated on".

Is there a subtle difference in meaning between "if it depends" and "it relies on"?

While similar, "if it depends" emphasizes the uncertainty of an outcome based on certain factors, whereas "it relies on" suggests a necessary dependence for something to function or succeed.

What are some common sentence structures where "if it depends" is used?

"If it depends" often introduces a clause specifying the conditions influencing a result, such as "The decision will be made, if it depends on budget availability."

Which is more appropriate, "if it depends on" or "if it is dependent on"?

"If it depends on" is generally more concise and commonly used. "If it is dependent on" is grammatically correct but can sound more formal or slightly redundant.