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.

Not: I want to find out the rooms have a shower or not. (original question: Do 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 subject

different 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, whetheryou like itornot.)

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’.