sentence: single if choice clause : if condition then statements ( else statements ) fi '' brief '' form : ( condition statements statements ) chained if choice clause : if condition1 then statements elif condition2 then statements ( else statements ) fi '' brief '' form : ( condition1 statements : condition2 statements statements ) c a traditional if-else construct in c , java and javascript is written : if ( a ) b ) -lcb- result = x ; -rcb- else -lcb- result = y ; -rcb- this can be rewritten as the following statement : result = a ) b ?