Is it grammatical to introduce a result clause by using then as in these examples:
-
Don’t be lazy – then you will fail.
-
Don’t kill him – then you will regret it.
If so, then is the then in these examples a conjunction?
I’ve not found any resources that mention this – they usually say that result clauses are usually introduced by conjunctions such as so or so that which in the above examples would read:
-
Don’t be lazy so that you then fail.
-
Don’t kill him so you regret it.
Best Answer
Idiomatically, the better word or phrase for those examples is "or" or "or else". I am not sure about the technical grammar of them.
"Don't be lazy or you will fail."
"Don't kill him or else you will regret it."