if和whether都可译为\"是否\",二者引导宾语从句时通常可以互相替换,口语中多用if代替whether。例如:Ask
if/whether
he
plans
to
come
to
the
meeting.
而以下几种情况中,
只能用whether:
1.
强调两方面的选择,特别是句中有or
not时。如:
Let
me
know
whether
you
can
come
or
not.
2.
宾语从句前置时。如:
Whether
this
is
true,
I
can\'t
say.
3.
引导主语、表语、同位语从句时。如:
Whether
the
football
game
will
be
played
depends
on
the
weather.
(主语从句)
The
question
is
whether
he
can
do
it.
(表语从句)
The
question
whether
we
should
go
with
them
must
be
decided
at
once.
(同位语从句)
4.
在介词之后作介词的宾语时。如:
I
haven\'t
settled
the
question
of
whether
I\'ll
go
back
home.
5.
在不定式前与不定式一起组成词组时。如:
Whether
to
go
or
stay
is
still
a
question.
6.
在discuss,
decide
等动词后作宾语时。如:
We
discussed
whether
we
should
go
there
by
plane.
值得注意的是:
if还可以引导条件状语从句,是\"假如;如果\"之意,而whether可以引导让步状语从句,是\"不管;无论\"
之意。如:
If
you
ask
him,
he
will
help
you.
I
shall
go,
whether
you
come
with
me
or
stay
at
home.
一、if或whether引导宾语从句时,作“是否”讲,常放在动词ask
、see
、say
、know和find
out等后面。一般情况下,两者常可换用,在口语中多用if。如:
例1
Nobody
knows
whether
(if)
it
will
rain
tomorrow.
没有人知道明天是否下雨。
例2
Lucy
asked
whether
(if)
they
had
a
cotton
sweater
.露西问他们是否有棉制的羊毛衣。
二、if或whether引导宾语从句时,要注意三个方面,即连词、语序和时态。
1
if或whether不能和that
或其它连词(副词)同时使用,也不能省去。如:
例3
我不知道他今天是否会来。
[误]
I
don’t
know
that
if(whether)
he
will
come
here
today
.
[正]
I
don’t
know
if(whether)
he
will
come
here
today
.
例4他走过来看看猫是否出了毛病。
[误]
He
came
to
see
what
if
(whether)
there
was
wrong
with
his
cat
.
[正]
He
came
to
see
if
(whether)
there
was
wrong
with
his
cat
.
2
if或whether引导的宾语从句时,虽具有疑问意义,但从句语序应用陈述句语序。如:
例5
Did
you
know
the
way
to
the
hospital
?
The
old
woman
asked
me
.
The
old
woman
asked
me
.if
(whether)
I
knew
the
way
to
the
hospital
.老妇人问我是否知道去医院的路。
3
if或whether引导的宾语从句应和主句的时态保持一致。即主句为一般现在时,从句用任一种时态;主句为一般过去时,从句则用过去时中的任一种时态。如:
例6
I
don’t
know
if
(whether)
he
has
come
here
.
我不知道他是否来过这儿。
例7
Tom
asked
if
(whether)
I
had
read
the
book
.
汤姆问我是否看过这本书
。
三、if和whether的区别:
1
在动词不定式之前只能用whether
。如:
例8
I
can’t
decide
whether
to
stay.
我不能决定是否留下。
2
在whether
……
or
not
的固定搭配中。如:
例9
I
want
to
know
whether
it’s
good
news
or
not
.
我想知道是否是好消息。
3
在介词后,只能用whether。如:
例10
His
father
is
worried
about
whether
he
lose
his
work
.
他的父亲担心是否会失去工作。
4宾语从句放在句首表示强调时,只能用whether
。如:
例11
Whether
they
can
finish
the
work
on
time
is
still
a
problem
.
他们是否能准时完成这项工作还是个问题。
5用if会引起歧义时,只用whether。如:
例12
Could
you
tell
me
if
you
know
the
answer
?
这句话有两种意思:“你能告诉我是否知道答案吗?”或“如果你知道答案,请告诉我,好吗?”。如用whether可避免歧义。
if和whether同作“是否”讲时,有三点不同:
因为他们两个词通常引导宾语从句,所以把它们在宾语从句中的用法列出来(其他从句适用)
1、介词后面不能用if,只能用whether;
everything depends on whether he will be back on time.
2、当从句中有or not时,只能用whether
i don't know whther he will come or not
3、动词discuss后面只能用whether
they are discussing whether to go or not.
当这两个词用来引导主语从句,又置于句首时,只能用whether.
whether he will come is still unknown.
if还可以作“如果”讲
它们都可以表示是否的意思,但如果句子后面有or
not
只能用whether
,此外if
还有表示如果的意思。(希望可以帮到你
前者常与or
not连用,后者还有“如果”的意思。