Learn English – Is it grammatical to introduce a result clause using “then”

apodosisclausesconditionalsconjunctionsgrammaticality

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."