student asking question

In this sentence, does the meaning stay the same even I change "whether" to "if"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Unfortunately, you cannot use "if" in this sentence. If a sentence is conditional and only presents one option, it is usually okay to use "whether" and "if" interchangeably. However, if a conditional sentence presents two alternatives, you should always use "whether". "Whether" in this context is a conjunction used to show similarity and equality between alternatives. It is not quite the same as saying "if", but it is similar to saying "no matter if". Ex: Anyone can apply for university, whether you are old or young. Ex: You should eat breakfast whether you want to or not. Ex: I don't know if she's going to the party. Ex: He didn't say whether or not he is interested in the job. Ex: Whether rain or shine, we will still have the soccer game.

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