whether和if都可以引导宾语从句,表示“是否”,在口语或间接引语中两者可以互换使用。如:
I
wonder
if
/
whether
I
can
get
some
advice
from
you.
Ask
him
whether
/
if
he
can
come.
但在有些情况下,whether和if的用法有一定区别。
1.
whether引导的从句常可以与连词or或or
not直接连用,而if一般不能。如:
正:
Let
me
know
whether
you
can
come
or
not.
误:
Let
me
know
if
you
can
come
or
not.
2.
当宾语从句提到句首时,只能用whether引导,而不能用if。如:
正:
Whether
it
is
true
or
not,
I
can’t
tell.
误:
If
it
is
true
or
not,
I
can’t
tell.
3.
whether可以引导带to的不定式,if则不能。如:
正:
I
don’t
know
whether
to
accept
or
refuse.
误:
I
don’t
know
if
to
accept
or
refuse.
4.
whether及其引导的成分可放于介词之后,作介词的宾语,但if不能。如:
正:
I
worry
about
whether
I
hurt
her
feelings.
误:
I
worry
about
if
I
hurt
her
feelings.
5.
whether可以引导从句,作主语、表语或同位语,而if不能。如:
正:
It
was
uncertain
whether
he
would
come.
误:
It
was
uncertain
if
he
would
come.
正:
His
first
question
was
whether
Tom
had
arrived
yet.
误:
His
first
question
was
if
Tom
had
arrived
yet.
正:
We
must
consider
the
question
whether
we
will
take
these
measures.
误:
We
must
consider
the
question
if
we
will
take
these
measures.