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Unit 3: If or whether?
Pronunciation: Changing sounds

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  1. 1 Go beyond intermediate with our new video course
  2. 2 Reported speech in 90 seconds!
  3. 3 If or whether?
  4. 4 5 ways to use 'would'
  5. 5 Let and allow
  6. 6 Passive voice
  7. 7 Unless
  8. 8 Mixed conditionals
  9. 9 The zero article - in 90 seconds
  10. 10 The indefinite article - in 90 seconds
  11. 11 The. That's right - the! Learn all about it in 90 seconds
  12. 12 The continuous passive
  13. 13 Future perfect
  14. 14 Need + verb-ing
  15. 15 Have something done
  16. 16 Wish
  17. 17 Word stress
  18. 18 Different ways of saying 'if'
  19. 19 Passive reporting structures
  20. 20 The subjunctive
  21. 21 When and if
  22. 22 Inversion
  23. 23 Phrasal verbs
  24. 24 The future
  25. 25 Modals in the past
  26. 26 Narrative tenses
  27. 27 Phrasal verb myths
  28. 28 Conditionals review
  29. 29 Used to - review
  30. 30 Linking words of contrast

Session 1

Do you have 90 seconds? Do you want to learn something useful about if and whether? Then join Finn as he attempts to explain one useful tip against the clock

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    Activity 1
  1. Activity 1

Activity 1

BBC English Class: If and whether

Do you know when to use if and when to use whether? Sometimes either can be used with no change in the meaning – but not always.

Pick up a tip from Finn in this video – if he can successfully tell us one in 90 seconds!

Watch the video and complete the activity

Show transcript Hide transcript

Finn
You know I'm busy. I know you're busy. You know, we're both busy. We could sit in this small room all day talking about when to use whether and when to use if. You know, I could remind you that we use whether after a preposition, and that whether is slightly more formal.

But all that's on our website. We're not going to do that. We're going to look at one grammar tip. And we're going to do it in 90 seconds.

OK, so what's the tip today?

Whether – two choices. Whether – two choices. What do I mean by that?

OK, let's imagine you and I are in a cafe… You want to order a coffee. But you're not sure about me. And you're thinking:

I don't know if Finn wants tea or coffee.

I don't know if Finn wants tea or coffee.

OK, or maybe you're thinking… that was with if… maybe you're  thinking about it with whether:

I don't know whether Finn wants tea or coffee.

I don't know whether Finn wants tea or coffee.

What's the difference between those two sentences? Well, if you use whether, only those two things are possible – tea and coffee. The two options, the two choices that you say: I don't know whether Finn wants tea or coffee. You're not thinking about any other drink.

But if you say if – I don't know if Finn wants tea or coffee – then it could be I don't know if he wants tea or coffee or maybe something else like wine or hot chocolate or beer. Something like that.

So if you say whether – you just mean those two choices: I don't know whether Finn wants tea or coffee.

How am I doing? We've got four seconds left. I think we've done it – whether two choices. I think I did so well I deserve to have a hot drink or maybe a cold beer afterwards! See you.

He did it! But did you follow the language point? Compare these sentences:

1) I don't know if Finn wants tea or coffee.

2) I don't know whether Finn wants tea or coffee.

When you use whether - you are only offering two choices - the two things you say. Tea or coffee.

But when you use if there is another possibility. As well as the two choices, there is a third: I don't know if Finn wants either of those two drinks - maybe he wants something completely different, like hot chocolate or beer.

The main point

  • Whether - two choices.

Check it!

Which of these sentences would you say if you don't think Finn wants either beer or wine, as you think he might want something completely different?

1) I don't know if Finn wants beer or wine.

2) I don't know whether Finn wants beer or wine.

The answer? Sentence 1!

To do

Now, test your knowledge with this short quiz. 

If and whether... test yourself!

5 Questions

Do you know when to use 'if' and when to use 'whether'? Think about these situations carefully and pick the best option.

Congratulations you completed the Quiz
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Reminder

There's more about if and whether when used in indirect questions here.

End of Session 1

That's it for this session. In Session 2 we have the programme which helps you understand the language you need for today's news: News Review.

Session Grammar

  • If and whether

    We often use these words interchangeably in statements and indirect questions, but one difference is that we use whether when we have two clear choices. Compare these:

    1) I don't know if Finn wants tea or coffee. (It's possible Finn wants something else)

    2) I don't know whether Finn wants tea or coffee. (These are the only two possibilities)

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