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Noun Clauses With If and Whether

This document discusses noun clauses introduced by the words "if" or "whether". It explains that these clauses can have different functions in a sentence, such as being the object of a verb or an adjective complement. While clauses with "whether" can serve many functions, clauses with "if" are more commonly used as objects or complements. The document also notes that "or not" can directly follow "whether" but not "if", and that these clauses are used to report indirect yes-no questions.

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Estefany Daniela Membreño Díaz
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124 views

Noun Clauses With If and Whether

This document discusses noun clauses introduced by the words "if" or "whether". It explains that these clauses can have different functions in a sentence, such as being the object of a verb or an adjective complement. While clauses with "whether" can serve many functions, clauses with "if" are more commonly used as objects or complements. The document also notes that "or not" can directly follow "whether" but not "if", and that these clauses are used to report indirect yes-no questions.

Uploaded by

Estefany Daniela Membreño Díaz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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We can introduce noun clauses with a wh- word (who, what,

where, how, etc.). Like that clauses, wh- noun clauses can
have many different functions in a sentence. For example:

We don’t know if she’s right or wrong.

(This means “maybe she’s right;


maybe she’s wrong.”)

I’m not sure whether I can join you tonight or not.

(This means “maybe I can join you tonight; maybe I can’t.”)


Clauses with whether can have many different functions in
a sentence. If- clauses are not used in as many different
places as other kinds of noun clauses. We often use them
as objects of verbs or adjective complements. For
example:
object of a verb

We don’t know if she’s right or wrong.


(The if- clause if she's right or wrong is the object of a
verb.)

adjective complement

I’m not sure whether I can join you tonight or not.

(The clause whether I can join you tonight or not is an adjective complement.)
However, they are not common in other places
in a sentence. For example:
subject

Whether or not he will come isn’t certain.


(Whether or not he will come is the subject.
NOT COMMON: If he will come is not certain.)
subject complement

The question is whether I should stay or go.

(Whether I should stay or go is a subject complement.


NOT COMMON: The question is if I should stay or go.)
subject complement

We talked about whether animals can truly communicate or not.

(Whether animals can truly communicate or not is a subject complement.


NOT COMMON: We talked about if animals can truly communicate or not.)
Sometimes only one option is mentioned in an
if/whether clause. In these sentences, the second
option (or not) is implied. For example:

I can’t decide if I should move.


I can’t decide whether I should move.

(This means “maybe I should; maybe I shouldn’t.”)


Note that or not can directly follow whether, but not if.
For example:
Your doctor can tell you whether or not you should take your medication.

(NOT: Your doctor can tell you if or not you should take
your medication.)
● Noun Clauses Beginning with “Whether” or “If”
● When a yes/no question is changed to a noun clause, whether or if is used to introduce
the clause Whether is more common in formal writing, but both words are used regularly
when speaking:

● Will he come?
● I wonder whether he will come.
● I wonder if he will come.
● Does she need help?

● I don’t know whether she needs help.


● I don’t know if she needs help.
● Or not is sometimes included with whether/if to help reinforce the yes/no nature
of the noun clause. Note that or not can immediately follow whether but not if:

● I wonder whether or not she needs help.


● I wonder whether she needs help or not.
● I wonder if she needs help or not.
● If and whether: indirect questions
● We can use if or whether to report indirect yes-
no questions and questions with or. If is more
common than whether:

● The teachers will be asked whether they would


recommend the book to their classes.
Noun Clauses with
if or whether -
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