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We use whether and not if before a to-infinitive, often when we’re referring to future plans or decisions:

Some financial decisions, such as planning a pension, need to be taken as early as possible. Others, such as whether to move house, can probably only be made much later.

We use whether and not if after prepositions:

Later I argued with the doctor about whether I had hit my head, since I couldn’t remember feeling it.

The police seemed mainly interested in whether there were any locks on the windows.

I doubt if, I don’t know whether

I don’t know if I can drive. My foot really hurts.

I didn’t prune the rose bush this year so I doubt if we’re going to have many flowers. (‘prune’ means cut back)

We’ll have plenty of photographs to show you but I’m not sure whether we’ll be able to learn very much from them.

 

We use non-final intonation for unfinished thoughts, introductory words and phrases, with a series of words, and when expressing choices.

Fall-rise intonation

Fall-rise intonation describes how the voice falls and then rises. We use fall-rise intonation at the end of statements when we want to say that we are not sure, or when we may have more to add:

I do↘n’t support any football team at the m↘om↗ent. (but I may change my mind in future).

It rained every day in the firs↘t w↗eek. (but things improved after that).

We use fall-rise intonation with questions, especially when we request information or invite somebody to do or to have something. The intonation pattern makes the questions sound more polite:

Is this your cam↘er↗a?

Would you like another co↘ff↗ee?

 

Rising intonation

Rising intonation describes how the voice rises at the end of a sentence. Rising intonation is common in yes-no questions:

I hear the Health Centre is expanding. So, is that the new d↗octor?

Are you th↗irsty?