Liquid crystal compositions are disclosed which satisfy various characteristics required of liquid crystal compositions used for TN-LCD or STN-LCD display mode, have a low viscosity to cope with the response at a high speed, have a high clearing point to cope with the change in environmental temperature, and have a small dependency of the pitch length on temperature. The liquid crystal compositions comprise, as a first component, at least one liquid crystalline 4-substituted-benzonitrile having a positive dielectric anisotropy, as a second component, at least one liquid crystalline compound having a small positive or negative dielectric anisotropy, and as chiral component A, at least one optically active compound expressed by general formula (X-a) or (X-b) ##STR1## wherein R.sup.0 represents an alkyl group or alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, X represents a halogen atom or CN, and Y represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or hydrogen atom.