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Matter

We can use matter as a verb or a noun. It is a very common word with a number of different uses and grammatical patterns.

Matter as a verb​

Matter in the negative​

The most common use of the verb matter is in the expression it doesn’t matter (and the less common forms it didn’t matter, it wouldn’t matter and it won’t matter). It doesn’t matter means ‘it is not important’, ‘I don’t mind’ or ‘it is not a problem’:

  • A: I forgot to buy milk when I was in town.
  • B: It doesn’t matter. We’ve got enough till tomorrow.
  • It doesn’t matter if you can’t be here by nine o’clock. We can start without you and you can join us later.
  • It wouldn’t matter if we didn’t invite Paul and Jan to the wedding. They wouldn’t expect to be invited.

Matter in questions​

We can ask questions with matter, often followed by an if-clause. Questions with matter usually mean ‘Is it a problem?’:

  • Does it matter if I leave my computer on all night?
  • Would it matter which flight we got?
  • A: I forgot to copy Chris in on the email to Margaret.
  • B: Does it matter?
  • A: I suppose not.

Matter in affirmative statements​

Less commonly, we can use matter in affirmative statements to say that something is important for a particular person, often with to:

  • A: Sally says the school buildings are in a bad state.
  • B: Well, the local authority doesn’t care. Nobody cares.
  • A: Well it matters to Sally. She has to work there.
  • It matters to me that my children should be polite to adults.

Matter as a noun​

What’s the matter (with …)?​

We can use what’s the matter (with …)? to ask someone about a problem or to ask for an explanation of a situation that looks problematic:

  • [adult to little child]
  • What’s the matter*, darling? Why are you crying?*
  • What’s the matter with Derek these days? He’s acting so strangely.
warning

We don’t say the matter is …, we say the problem is …

  • He’d like to live in the USA. The problem is he can’t get a visa.
  • Not: The matter is …

When we reply to the question What’s the matter?, we don’t use matter, we use problem:

  • A: What’s the matter with Greg?
  • B: The problem is he’s just broken up with his girlfriend. They’ve been together for a long time.

Matter as a countable noun​

We can use matter as a countable noun to mean ‘question, problem or issue’:

  • This is a matter for the police. We cannot deal with it ourselves.
  • It’s only a matter of time before everyone will get bored with reality TV shows.
  • Are there any other matters to discuss today, or shall we finish?

Matter as an uncountable noun​

Matter as an uncountable noun means ‘the physical substance that makes up the universe’:

  • How much matter is there in the entire universe? Scientists are not absolutely sure.

As a matter of fact​

We can use the expression as a matter of fact to emphasise that something is different from what has been said before, or from what people think or expect:

  • A: I don’t think you like Hilary, do you?
  • B: No, that’s just not true. As a matter of fact, I’m very fond of her. It’s just that she irritates me sometimes.

In a matter of + time expression​

We can use the expression in a matter of with a time expression to refer to something that happens very quickly, or which can be done very quickly:

  • It used to take an hour to get to the airport, but now with the new metro line you can get there in a matter of minutes.

No matter​

We can use no matter to link two clauses as a conjunction. It is a short form of it does not matter. We can use no matter with what, when, where, which, who and how to refer to a situation that cannot be changed, even though we try:

  • No matter what I wear, I always feel dull and old-fashioned.
  • No matter where she looked, she could not find the missing paper.
  • He never answers emails, no matter how many you send him.

If there is just one clause, we use it doesn’t matter before what, when, where, which, who and how:

  • A: There are three phone numbers here for the tax office. Which one do I call?
  • B: It doesn’t matter which one you use.
  • Not: No matter which one you use.

We don’t use no matter as a conjunction with if. We say it doesn’t matter if:

  • It doesn’t matter if you wear a smart suit, they still won’t let you in without a tie.

Matter: typical errors​

The noun matter, meaning ‘question, problem or issue’, is countable:

  • I have some important matters to discuss.
  • Not: … some important matter …

The conjunction form is no matter. We don’t say not matter:

  • I’ll get a job, no matter how long it takes.
  • Not: … not matter how long …
See also
  • However, whatever, whichever, whenever, wherever, whoever