Use if to state a condition. A conditional clause states what has to be true for the rest of the sentence to apply. If the studio is free, we’ll rehearse there. In an embedded yes-or-no question, the question sits inside a larger sentence. Both if and whether often work there. Jo asked if the studio was free and Jo asked whether the studio was free both report the question Was the studio free?
Is it a condition or a question?
Call me if the delivery arrives. The arrival is the condition for calling. Find out if the delivery arrived. The clause gives the question to answer. You could ask it directly as Did the delivery arrive? The embedded version uses statement order and drops did, giving the delivery arrived.
Let me know if the delivery arrived can ask for an answer either way or be read as a request to respond only if it arrived. Let me know whether the delivery arrived makes clear that you want an answer either way. If you only want a message after it arrives, write If the delivery arrives, let me know. Merriam-Webster on if and whether.
When to use whether
- Before a to-infinitive. A to-infinitive combines to with the base form of a verb, as in to rent. We need to decide whether to rent the studio. A full clause can name a different person as the one who might rent it. We need to decide whether Jo should rent the studio.
- After a preposition. We talked about whether the studio had enough chairs. The question clause follows the preposition about.
In a simple embedded question such as We asked if the studio was free, choosing whether can give the sentence a more formal tone. It can also make a set of choices easier to read, as in We asked whether we should rehearse Friday, Saturday, or both days. Cambridge English Grammar Today on if and whether.
Where to put or not
In a yes-or-no question, or not can make the negative option explicit. Whether allows two positions. With if, put or not at the end of the question clause.
- Can you check whether or not the studio is free?
- Can you check whether the studio is free or not?
- Can you check if the studio is free or not?
Can you check whether the studio is free? already asks for a yes or a no, so or not is optional here.
Use whether when the result holds either way
Whether or not the studio is free, we’ll meet at six. The meeting time stays the same in either case. You can also name both possibilities. Whether we rehearse at the studio or at Jo’s house, bring your marked-up script. The instruction applies at both locations. Cambridge English Grammar Today on whether.
Practice choosing if or whether
- Fill the blank to make an action depend on a condition. ___ the keypad flashes red, press Reset.
- Turn Does the scanner work? into an embedded question beginning Ari wants to know. Give both versions.
- Complete both sentences. We haven’t decided ___ to order lunch. We’re talking about ___ the café can deliver.
- Repair I can’t tell if or not the printer is online in two ways. Keep or not in both versions.
- Rewrite Email me if the door is unlocked so the recipient knows to email with either answer.
- Combine the statements using whether. We could ship on Monday or Tuesday. The buyer gets a tracking link either way.
Show answers and explanations
- If the keypad flashes red, press Reset. The flashing light is the condition for pressing the button.
- Ari wants to know if the scanner works. Ari wants to know whether the scanner works. Both introduce an embedded yes-or-no question. The clause uses the ordinary subject-verb order the scanner works.
- We haven’t decided whether to order lunch. We’re talking about whether the café can deliver. The first whether comes before a to-infinitive. The second comes after the preposition about.
- I can’t tell whether or not the printer is online. I can’t tell if the printer is online or not. Only whether lets you put or not immediately after it.
- Please email me and tell me whether the door is unlocked. The request for an email stands on its own. The whether clause supplies the question to answer.
- Whether we ship on Monday or Tuesday, the buyer gets a tracking link. The two shipping days are explicit, and the buyer gets a link in either case.
Related grammar guides
- See how yes-or-no and question-word questions change when you report them. Reported Questions.
- Compare real and hypothetical conditions. Conditional Sentences.
- Look up other words that are easy to mix up. Confusing Words.
