grammar · formal
decide whether to + base verb
to make a choice between doing something or not; 'whether to' introduces the two alternatives before an infinitive
Examples
“She couldn't decide whether to accept the scholarship.”
“We need to decide whether to invest in new equipment this year.”
“I still haven't decided whether to move abroad next summer.”
Band 8 sentence
“Policymakers must decide whether to prioritise economic growth or environmental protection in their next plan.”
Collocations
- decide whether to + V
- can't decide whether to + V
Word family
Common mistakes
I can't decide if to accept the job.→I can't decide whether to accept the job.
She decided whether accept the offer.→She decided whether to accept the offer.
Say it for a higher band
5decide if→6can't decide if→7+decide whether to
Synonyms
decide if
Easily confused
if to
“He couldn't decide whether to stay or to leave.”
Related words
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In Tenses
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