c - Making the "else if" part of the outer statement according to language semantics? -

say have following c statement:

if( cond)        if( cond)          stat       else         stat 

where 'else stat' part of inner if statement according language semantics. need in order make 'else stat' part of outer if statement? knowledge, adding {} after , @ end of if statement separate them work. correct? there way of doing this?

in case should use compound statement

if( cond1 ) {       if ( cond2 )          stat; } else {     stat; } 

another approach point of view of c syntax less readable , should not used following

if( cond1 )       if ( cond2 )          stat;       else         ; // empty statement else       stat; 

however such approach can used internal if contains else if. example

if( cond1 )       if ( cond2 )          stat;       else if ( cond3 )         stat;       else         ; // empty statement else       stat; 

or can made more readable following way

if( cond1 )       if ( cond2 )        {         stat;       }       else       {         ; // empty statement       } else       stat;