Weather vs whether
Weather is about rain, sun, and wind outside. Whether is a joining word, often like if, that introduces a question or a choice between two things inside a sentence. It never starts a direct question.
Whether starts with wh, like the question words which and what.
weather noun
The conditions outside at a certain time and place, such as rain, sun, wind, or heat.
- The weather was perfect for a picnic.
- We canceled the hike because of bad weather.
whether conjunction
Used inside a sentence to introduce an indirect question about if something is true, or a choice between two possibilities, often with or. It does not start a direct question.
- I'm not sure whether the store is open today.
- We have to decide whether to stay or leave.
Watch out
- Weather is also a verb. To weather something hard means to get through it without giving up or being badly hurt.The company weathered the recession by cutting costs and keeping its staff.
- Whether can begin a part of a sentence that says the rest stays true no matter which of two things happens. In this use it always pairs with or, and that part can come first or last.Whether by accident or design, the policy widened the gap between regions.
Test yourself
Check the blank before you go sailing.
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weather. It means the conditions outside, like wind and rain.
She asked blank I wanted tea or coffee.
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whether. It introduces a choice between two things.
The blank turned cold and windy overnight.
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weather. Cold and wind describe the conditions outside, which is the weather.
We will go to the beach blank it rains or not.
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whether. It means the plan stays the same either way.