The useage of "if"

mate 167   Thu Oct 19, 2006 4:06 pm GMT
Does any native speaker here could kindly help me out of this sentence, please?

"I'm uncertain if he will(is going to/ goes) go to the party on friday"

My questions are as follow;

1)Is the use of "if" grammatical correct? Or It sounds better if I use the words of "that" or "something ".

2)If it is grammatical correct, What kind of tense should I use?


Your guidance and assistance would be much appreicated!!!!!!!!!!
JW   Thu Oct 19, 2006 4:55 pm GMT
Your sentence is grammatical and sounds okay, but I think it would sound muchbetter if you used the simple subordinating conjunction "whether" instead of "if." As far as verb tense, you've got it right already. "He will go" is correct.
Mary   Fri Oct 20, 2006 7:47 am GMT
I heard once that it was grammatically correct to use "whether" when there is a choice between two possibilities (i.e., whether he will go or not go), and to use "if" when there are more choices (i.e., I'm not sure if I will buy a white iPod). However, I think the sentence sounds very natural the way you've written it. I guess I might have written:
"I'm not sure whether or not he'll go to the party on Friday."
but I think yours sounds fine.
Jim   Fri Oct 20, 2006 9:45 am GMT
I've never heard the bit about its depending on the number of choices. If we go by the way people actually speak, then "if" is correct. However, I'd prefer "whether".
mate 167   Fri Oct 20, 2006 5:39 pm GMT
Frist of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks to you all.

Thank you very much indeed!!!!!
JW   Fri Oct 20, 2006 5:57 pm GMT
First of all, you are very very welcome. Thank you for being so courteous.

And second, you should probably not say "first of all," unless you have at least a second thing you wish to say.
mate 167   Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:29 pm GMT
Thank you very much, JW!!!! XD
Shawn   Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:05 pm GMT
<<1)Is the use of "if" grammatical correct? Or It sounds better if I use the words of "that" or "something ".>>

"I'm uncertain something he will go to the party on Friday."

Who would actually think that the word "something" could be used here? That's certainly wrong. I'd go for "whether".