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The construct else + if = elif

Python: The construct else + if = elif

The function get_type_of_sentence() only distinguishes between question and normal sentences. Let's add support for exclamatory sentences to it:

def get_type_of_sentence(sentence):
    last_char = sentence[-1]

    if last_char == "?":
        sentence_type = "question"

    if last_char == "!":
        sentence_type = "exclamation"
    else:
        sentence_type = "normal"

    return "Sentence is " + sentence_type


print(get_type_of_sentence("Who?"))  # => 'Sentence is normal'
print(get_type_of_sentence("No"))  # => 'Sentence is normal'
print(get_type_of_sentence("No!"))  # => 'Sentence is exclamation'

We have added an exclamation checker for exclamation sentences. Technically this feature works, but it treats question sentences incorrectly. There are also problems with it in terms of semantics:

  • The exclamation point is checked in any case, even if there is already a question mark
  • The else branch is described for the second condition, but not for the first. Therefore the question sentence becomes normal'.

To remedy the situation, let's take another possibility of conditional construction:

def get_type_of_sentence(sentence):
    last_char = sentence[-1]

    if last_char == "?":
        sentence_type = "question"
    elif last_char == "!":
        sentence_type = "exclamation"
    else:
        sentence_type = "normal"

    return "Sentence is " + sentence_type


print(get_type_of_sentence("Who?"))  # => 'Sentence is question'
print(get_type_of_sentence("No"))  # => 'Sentence is normal'
print(get_type_of_sentence("No!"))  # => 'Sentence is exclamation'

Now all the conditions are lined up in a single construction. The elif means "if the previous condition is not satisfied, but the current condition is satisfied". This is the scheme:

  • If the last letter is ? then'question'`
  • if the last letter is !, then 'exclamation'
  • other options are normal'.

Only one of the code blocks that refers to the whole if construct will be executed.

Instructions

Implement the function get_traffic_light_action(), which takes a traffic light colour and returns what the driver has to do.

The rules:

  • 'green''go'
  • 'yellow''slow down'
  • 'red''stop'
  • Any other colour → 'unknown'

Example calls:

print(get_traffic_light_action("green"))  # => 'go'
print(get_traffic_light_action("red"))  # => 'stop'
print(get_traffic_light_action("purple"))  # => 'unknown'

If you've reached a deadlock it's time to ask your question in the «Discussions». How ask a question correctly:

  • Be sure to attach the test output, without it it's almost impossible to figure out what went wrong, even if you show your code. It's complicated for developers to execute code in their heads, but having a mistake before their eyes most probably will be helpful.
Found a bug? Have something to add? Pull requests are welcome!