If and whether

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.