Whether and that can be used to express alternatives. However, there is a distinction that we will discover in this lesson.

"Whether" vs. "That" in the English grammar

What Is Their Main Difference?

The main difference between 'whether' and 'that' is in their certainty. 'That' introduces certain alternatives while 'whether' introduces less certain alternatives.

Parts of Speech

'Whether' and 'that' are conjunctions. They are used to connect clauses together.

We need to check whether he is home or not.

We need to check that he is home or not.

Meaning

We can 'whether' and 'that' to express alternatives and conditions. Have a look:

I'm not sure whether this is correct.

I know that this is correct.

As you can see in the examples above, 'whether' and 'that' can be used as conjunctions. However, 'that' is used when there is a certainty. In other words, when we are sure about a condition or alternative, we use 'that.' Conversely, 'whether' is used when there is doubt about the condition or alternative.

Comments

(0)
Loading Recaptcha...
Share on :

Recommended

Whether vs. If

bookmark
In order to add to your bookmarks you must sign in to your account
Close
Sign in
'Whether' and 'if' are conjunction. They can be used interchangeably. In this lesson, we will learn their uses, similarities, and differences.

Whether vs. Whether Or Not

bookmark
In order to add to your bookmarks you must sign in to your account
Close
Sign in
'Whether' can be accompanied with 'or not.' In this case there is a small distinction between 'whether' and 'whether or not' which we will learn in this lesson.

Whether vs. Rather

bookmark
In order to add to your bookmarks you must sign in to your account
Close
Sign in
'Whether' and 'rather' are confused by earners. In this lesson, we will learn their uses and differences.

Whether vs. Regardless

bookmark
In order to add to your bookmarks you must sign in to your account
Close
Sign in
'Whether' and 'regardless' are used in different contexts but they may be confused by learners. In this lesson, we will learn all about them.

While vs. Whilst

bookmark
In order to add to your bookmarks you must sign in to your account
Close
Sign in
While and whilst may confuse learners as they are very similar. In this lesson, we will learn their similarities and differences.

While vs. During

bookmark
In order to add to your bookmarks you must sign in to your account
Close
Sign in
'While' and 'during' are similar in meaning but they are grammatically different. In this lesson, we will learn all about them.
LanGeek
Download LanGeek app