Is it OK to use "if" at the end of a sentence? [closed]

Is it OK to use "if" at the end of a sentence? e.g. I saw a professor once saying:

They can withdraw the paper you don't go to the conference if.

Solution 1:

Yes. For example, the great question:

"What if?"

Or, as a more elaborate example:

"I know my chances of winning the lottery are less than on in a million, but what if?"

Another example of ending a sentence with "if" would be:

"Don't get ahead of yourself. It's not a question of when but a question of if."

A third example comes from the dictionary where "if" is listed as a noun:

"The future is full of ifs."

A similar take on that sentence would be:

"My future is one giant if."

I might say that in a situation where I feel my entire situation is hanging on a single thing, like getting into medical school or getting a particular job or promotion.

But what you've written isn't grammatical. I'm not sure if you've forgotten some words or what, but it appears to be two clauses smudged together and "if" has no obvious reference. I have a hard time believing a professor wrote that.

Solution 2:

To answer your question, yes, you can end sentences with if.

Most questions you can end with "if" without issue. Some sentences can also end with "if".

For example:

I'll do lunch with you if we go to an Italian restaurant, and only if.

The example you gave, however, is not correct. The "if" at the end of the sentence has no clear reference. Subordinate clauses always start with a subordinating conjunction. They cannot be tacked on after the clause.

Solution 3:

No natural or standard English sentence can end with if. That's my answer which shows a sentence ends with if.

Solution 4:

The professor may well have spoken correctly. It depends on the intonation and what was said before.

Student: So you’ll be there when I’m speaking?

Prof: If you’re speaking, if.

Student: If? What do you mean, if?

Prof: It’s the old they-can-withdraw-your-paper-you-don’t-go-the-conference if.

Student: Yessss... that’s a definite if.

Prof: Yep. Sometimes they just tell you to “if off” and that’s that. You’re iffed.