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Whether

Whether is a conjunction.

Whether in indirect questions​

We use whether in indirect yes-no questions and questions with or. We can’t leave out whether (or if):

  • They asked me whether (if) I was tired.
  • (original question: Are you tired?)
  • Not: They asked me I was tired.
  • I want to find out whether (if) the rooms have a shower or not.
  • (original question: Do the rooms have a shower or not?)
  • Not: I want to find out the rooms have a shower or not.

We don’t use either in indirect questions:

  • We can’t say whether tourism is harmful or beneficial.
  • Not: We can’t say either tourism is harmful or beneficial.

Whether … or​

We use whether … or to introduce a clause giving two options or alternatives:

  • I can’t decide whether to paint the wall green or blue. (or to paint the wall blue)
  • She didn’t know whether he was laughing or crying.

When the subject of the main clause is the same as the subject of the whether-clause(s), we can use whether to + infinitive or whether + a finite clause. When the subject of the main clause is different from the subject of the subordinate clause, we have to use a finite clause.

Compare

same subjectdifferent subject
We’re not sure whether to stay here for dinner or go somewhere else.(whether + to + infinitive)We’re not sure whether he’ll stay here for dinner or go somewhere else.(whether + finite clause)
We’re not sure whether we’ll stay here for dinner or go somewhere else.(whether + finite clause)

Whether … or not​

We use whether … or not or whether or not to give an opposite alternative:

  • We use the title Ms rather than Mrs (married woman) or Miss (unmarried woman) when we don’t know whether a woman is married or not.
  • I’m not sure whether or not to go to camping this weekend.

We often use whether … or not to mean ‘it’s not important if’ or ‘it doesn’t matter if’. We don’t use either in this way:

  • He always said what he thought, whether it was polite or not.
  • Not: … either it was polite or not.

We can use whether … or not in front or end position with this meaning. We use it in orders or commands:

  • Whether you like it or not, you’re going to have to look after your sister.
  • (or You’re going to have to look after your sister, whether you like it or not.)
See also
  • If or whether?
  • Ellipsis
  • If: reporting questions

Typical errors​

We use whether, not if, before a to-infinitive:

  • I’m not sure whether to get a new laptop.
  • Not: I’m not sure if to get a new laptop.

We use whether … or not, not either, to mean ‘it’s not important that’:

  • We have to accept that they are part of our lives, whether we like it or not.
  • Not: … either we like it or not.

We use whether, not either, in indirect questions:

  • She has to decide whether she is going to accept the job or not.
  • Not: She has to decide either …

We can’t leave out whether (or if) in indirect questions:

  • I want to find out whether/if the rooms have a shower or not.
  • Not: I want to find out the rooms have a shower or not.

Take care to spell whether correctly: not ‘weather’, ‘wheter’, ‘wheather’ or ‘wether’.

See also
  • Reported speech
  • Conjunctions