In a [previous shot](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-are-nested-conditionals), we learned how to express conditionals with nested conditionals. Today, we will learn how to simplify nested conditionals with chained conditionals.

Let's get started.

#      
#  Chained conditionals in one word

**Chained conditionals** are an alternative way to write nested conditionals.

The format for these conditionals looks like this:

```
if <boolean-expression-1>
   <statement-1>
else if <boolean-expression-2>
   <statement-2>
else
   <statement-3>
```
The `else` clause is optional and always comes at the end of the conditional. There is no limit on
the number of `else if` statements.

>Note: Only one branch will be executed.

Now is the time to implement. We'll be using the same example as in the shot on [nested conditionals](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-are-nested-conditionals). 

##  
## Code implementation


# You can change the value of gender to see different msg
gender = "M"

if gender == "M":
  print("You're a man.")
elif gender == "F":
  print("You're a woman.")
else:
    print("I'm sorry, but I can't identify.")

Python

public class Gender {
  public static void main(String[] arg) {
    // You can change the value of gender to see different msg
    String gender = "F";

    if (gender == "M")
      System.out.println("You're a man.");
    else if (gender == "F")
      System.out.println("You're a woman.");
    else
      System.out.println("I'm sorry, but I can't identify.");
  }
}

Java

// You can change the value of gender to see different msg
const gender = "N"

if (gender == "M")
  console.log("You're a man.")
else if (gender == "F")
  console.log("You're a woman.")
else
  console.log("I'm sorry, but I can't identify.")

Javascript

<?php 

// You can change the value of gender to see different msg
$gender = "M";

if ($gender == "M") {
  echo("You're a man.");
} 
else if ($gender == "F") {
  echo("You're a woman.");
  }
else {
  echo("I'm sorry, but I can't identify.");
  }

>Note: In Python, `elif` is an abbreviation for `else if`.

#  
## Flow of control
The flow of control for the chained conditionals is as follows:

#  
## Ordering valid conditionals 
Below are some examples of how valid conditional statements are ordered.

1. 
```
// code block
if
// code block
```

2.
```
// code block
if(...) {...}
else {...}
// code block
```

3.
```
// code block
if(...) {...}
else if(...) {...}
else {...}
// code block
```

4. 
```
// code block
if(...) {...}
else if(...) {...}
else if(...) {...}
// code block
```

That's all for today. Happy coding!

What are chained conditionals?

Chained conditionals simplify nested conditionals by using if, else if (elif in Python), and else. Only one branch executes.