if vs. whether
by AnnaLisa Michalski
originally published in the ezine-turned-blog Word-wise, July 29, 2007
Definitions:
- If indicates conjecture and can be used correlatively with then.
- Whether indicates
two or more possibilities and can be (often redundantly) used correlatively with or not.
While it is worth noting that the two words are not entirely interchangeable, it is also true modern English speakers often don't recognize a difference between if and whether. The Chicago Manual of Style, regarded by most editors as the definitive authority on usage, states that while if is indeed acceptable in casual use, whether is "irreproachable" in both casual or formal use when all other factors are equal. When in doubt, err to the conservative and choose whether.
Correct: I don't know if rain is expected today.
But preferable: I don't know whether rain is expected today.
© 2007 by AnnaLisa Michalski