The examples in the help information that is accessed by typing

get-help about_if

are a little muddled, I think.

Because the examples use paired double quotes $a is evaluated and
prints as a number (or space if $a is not initialized). So, when $a is
not initialized, running the version(s) with the else statement
displays something like

The value is not initialized.

Values are not initialized, as far as I am aware. So the output isn't
informative in my view.

I think the examples would be improved by more clearly distinguishing
between values and variables. Just my $0.02.

Andrew Watt MVP