The Difference Between “If” and “Whether”
rogersgeorge on May 4th, 2020
I think I mentioned this before, and I’ll probably mention it again. In fact, I have a Powerpoint on the subject. I’ll have to see whether I can put that into this blog.
Anyway, here’s the rule: when you use “if” you don’t have to do anything if the “if” doesn’t happen. When you use “whether,” you have to do something, um, whether or not the condition happens. Let this comic illustrate. Last panel:
Since she said “if,” Agnes doesn’t have to report anything if no fast cars and money are involved. If she had said “whether,” Agnes would have had to eventually tell her friend something.
Leave a Reply