Spotlight PLUS6
Grammatik 14/2019
“If” and “whether”
On the previous double page, we looked at the similarities and differences between
“if ” and “whether”. Here are some more exercises for you to practise.
Illustration: One Line Man/Shutterstock.com- Whether to use “if”
Read the sentences below and decide which option in bold is correct. Can you
use “if”, “whether” or both?A. Do you know if / whether Ann is at work today?
B. I can’t decide if / whether to go by car or by train.
C. I can’t decide if / whether I should go by car or by train.
D. They wanted to know if / whether I could drive.
E. He’s going to marry her, if / whether or not we approve.
F. I wonder if / whether she’ll pass the exam.
G. I’m not sure if / whether to apply for that job.- Top tips
Read the tips below and have a close look at the words in bold. Where could
you use “if” instead of “whether” or “whether” instead of “if”? Tick the words
that could be replaced.How to tell (A) whether an egg is fresh: put the egg in a bowl of water.
(B) If the egg sinks, it is fresh. (C) If it floats to the surface, it’s old.
How to tell (D) whether to buy a watermelon: opinions differ — (E) if you
should tap it lightly and see (F) if it sounds hollow, or (G) whether you should
look for a yellow spot that shows (H) whether or not it is ripe.
How to tell (I) if a diamond is real: put the diamond in a glass of water.
It depends (J) whether it sinks or floats. (K) If it sinks, it’s a real diamond.
(L) If it floats below the surface, it’s fake.- If it’s “if” or whether it’s “whether”
Complete the joke below by filling in “whether” twice and “if” twice. Tip: write
in the “whethers” first.I got a text message from my sister this morning. She’s just had a baby! I don’t
know (A) to visit her in hospital or to wait till she comes
home. She didn’t say (B) it’s a boy or a girl, so I don’t know
(C) to buy the baby a pink or a blue teddy bear. And, of
course, I don’t know (D) I’m an aunt or an uncle!AMA