Whether it is a question?

Once upon a time, in a crowded lunchroom our lonely and angry, err.. hungry young man had just secured a table with 2 chairs all for himself. He unpacked his lunchbox and was about to take the first bite, when he heard a beautiful voice..

“If you are not using this chair…”

With the yummy food inch away from the drool, still holding onto his decency not to eat while talking, he was waiting to hear the rest of the sentence..

And he’s still waiting, while both the food and his drool about to slip from their respective places.

“Oh dear, why don’t u finish the sentence” 

said his mind, not his mouth which was already starving. However, again the voice repeated..

“Whether you are using this chair… “

 “Oh god, please” said in his mind again and waited..

“Excuse me.. are you using this chair?"

“Thank god, finally you asked”

“Well, I asked 3 times”

“Really? I thought you were about to finish the sentence”

“It was a question!”

“No, it was a clause”

“If it was?”

“And this one too.. and the previous one as well” 

“Whether It is?”

“Even this one”

“Oh, come on. How do I make it a question?”

“Now, that’s a question!”

“The words “If” and “whether” are conjunctions and the sentences that begin with them are clauses. While clauses are not complete by themselves, they need another sentence to complement them.”

“Example?”

“If you are not using this chair, can I take it?”

“Oh, and whether?”

“Whether you are using this chair or not, I’d like to take it”

“Ah ha.. What happens when the other sentence is not present“

 "They just remain hungry.. just like me now.." 

Moral: Whether and If can be conjunctions or joining words to combine a statement with a question, but can not independently create a question


Wrong Usage and Right Usage Examples:


Whether you are going? ==> Are you going?

If you are doing this? ==> Are you doing this?

Whether you will have coffee or tea? ==> Will you have coffee or tea?


 
























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