Macmillan Holdings, LLC. Grammar Girl, Grammar Girl's, QDnow, and Quick and Dirty Tips are all trademarks of Macmillan Holdings, LLC. There's actually a difference. Kiera grammar I want to thank you!!! I was typing an email to my professor and was able to edit it correctly after reading your post. This was very helpful!! I am definitely subscribing for future tips. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=19695#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=19695#Comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:26:52 GMT rpmason grammar GG's pretty darn busy, I'm sure. Carolyn, you could say "I don’t know if [or whether] he'll go to the store." The 'or not' is used when that condition is just as important as the other condition. You need to call Squiggly in either case, so 'or not' is necessary. Please review the section where GG discusses "Call Squiggly whether or not…" http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12954#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12954#Comments Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:33:14 GMT Carolyn Bahm grammar I thought we weren't supposed to use "or not," but maybe I'm just recalling a teacher's style preference rather than a real grammar rule. I typically style it like this: "I don't know whether he will or will not go to the store." Can you clarify? Thanks, Mignon! http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12928#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12928#Comments Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:13:05 GMT rpmason grammar Carla, yes, you do have to be careful of the placement of 'only'. But I don't agree with your teacher. A parallel, but less poetic, construction might help. "I only have dessert for you" and "I have dessert for only you" both mean that I didn't bring dessert for anyone else. The difference is whether I'm emphasizing me or you. Contrast "Only I have dessert for you" and you'll find that sentence fits your teacher's warning. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12924#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12924#Comments Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:07:06 GMT Carla grammar A bit off subject, but I'd appreciate your comments on the placement of 'only' - as in "Call Squiggly if you are going to arrive on Friday means Aardvark is only expected to call if he is coming." My high school Latin teacher drummed it into our heads that we must be careful about where in a sentence we place 'only' as it can end up modifying the wrong word. His favourite example was the song lyric, "I only have eyes for you," which he said was actually quite insulting because it says, "I am the only one who finds you attractive." Although the lyric wouldn't sound quite right to us, he said it should be written, "I have eyes for only you." Likewise, the sentence above should read, "Call Squiggly if you are going to arrive on Friday means Aardvark is expected to call only if he is coming." http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12887#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12887#Comments Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:41:21 GMT Mildred grammar Hi Grammar Girl! Thanks for the column. Every time I use "whether" in my writing (technical scientific writing), my boss always puts "or not" or changes it to "if". I'm happy to finally have these references to support my writing style. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12875#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12875#Comments Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:18:41 GMT John grammar There's nothing wrong with usage advice, but I like my usage advice to be well-motivated and informed. Garner's advice isn't always motivated or informed - he often gives no reason for his advice. Something is right or wrong simply because he says so. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12874#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12874#Comments Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:12:23 GMT Don grammar Hey, Grammar Girl! Actually, I was pointing-out that the same rule ("Use 'whether' when an alternative is given.") also holds when multiple choices are offerend. My understanding is that 'whether' indicates that the speaker is offering two or more possibilities for his statement to be true. 'If' simply states that the condition outlined in the sentance may or may not be true... Thus, if I should arrive on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday (but will be arriving) and you don't know which, the sentance should be "Grammar Girld didn't know whether Don would arrive Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday." As that indicates that Grammar Girl knows I will arrive but not when, the same sentance using 'if' rather than 'whethter' would mean that my arrival on those days was uncertain. Perhaps Grammar Girl expects me to be partying too late on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday to know if I will arrive at all those days, but she assumes that by Thursday I will get my act together. My question was whether it was correct or incorrect to use 'whether' for multiple choice conditions where more than two alternatives are offered or if there is some other word that indcates a choice of the three (rather than an uncertainty of any or all) stated conditions. Love the podcast! Looking forward to the book! http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12872#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12872#Comments Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:15:37 GMT Grammar Girl grammar Hi, Don. If I understand you correctly, you are asking about writing a sentence like this: I didn't know whether/if I should bring apples, oranges, or pineapple. As you may have gathered from the debate here in the comments, in most cases it is probably fine to use either word. If I were choosing, I could use "whether" because to me it more clearly indicates that there are three alternatives. But I can't say that "if" is a wrong choice. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12865#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12865#Comments Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:12:00 GMT Grammar Girl grammar Hi, rpmason. I find your comment about computer language interesting! I took enough programming in college that I had to retrain myself to leave the "then" out of my conditional sentences (since it is usually unnecessary). I see what you're saying about the missing "else," but I still believe "if Aardvark would arrive on Friday or Saturday" leaves open the possibility that Aardvark may not arrive at all (at least to a greater degree than the same sentence using "whether"). http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12864#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx?commentid=12864#Comments Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:05:35 GMT Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:26:52 GMT http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/if-versus-whether.aspx feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Managing Editor) feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Webmaster) en-us