Whether or not?

In the phrase whether or not, the or not is often optional. When the choice is up to
you, you can generally use either whether or if. But you definitely need or not when
you mean regardless of whether, as in, Im out of here whether you like it or not!
When youre talking about a choice between alternaties, use whether! "ichie didnt
know whether he should wear the blue suit or the green one. #he gieaway is the
presence of or between the alternaties. But when theres a whether or not choice
$"ichie wondered whether or not he should wear his green checked suit%, you can
usually drop the or not and use either whether or if! "ichie wondered if &or whether' he
should wear his green checked suit. (oull need or not, howeer, if your meaning is
)regardless of whether! "ichie wanted to wear the green one, whether it had a gray
stain or not. $whether or not it had a gray stain.%
#he simplest way to determine whether the or not can be omitted is to see if the
sentence still makes sense without it.
Whether, in this instance, is being used to introduce multiple alternaties, such as I dont
know whether I should stay, go to the store, or go to the bank. #here are three
alternaties $staying, going to the store, and going to the bank%, and whether introduces
them.
It has become widely accepted to use whether or not as a shortcut, such as saying I
dont know whether or not I should go instead of I dont know whether I should go or
stay. In the former e*ample, whether is not being used correctly since the alternatie has
not been introduced, but since its implied, youre certainly not going to hear many
people complain about its use in this way, especially in informal situations+ in the latter
e*ample, whether is used as intended, introducing two well,defined alternaties.
Number of and numbers of
With the word number, we sometimes use a singular erb and sometimes a plural.
- number of . plural erb
- number of is used with a plural countable noun and a plural erb!
- number of people hae complained about the price increase.
#he same is true with a large number!
- large number of protesters were outside the parliament building yesterday.
#he number of . singular erb
It/s a popular school and the number of students has risen again this year.
#he numbers of . plural erb
#he numbers of students are rising steadily.
Amount and number
0se amount to refer to a 1uantity. 0se number to refer to people or things that can be
counted.