7.45 reporting uncertain things

When you are reporting an action that someone is wondering about doing themselves, you can use a 'to'-infinitive clause beginning with 'whether'.

• I've been wondering whether to retire.
• He didn't know whether to feel glad or sorry at his dismissal.

Here is a list of verbs that can be used with 'to'-infinitive clauses of this kind:

• choose, debate, decide, know, wonder

Note that 'choose', 'decide', and 'know' are usually used in a negative or interrogative clause, or a clause with a modal.

When you are mentioning information about something involved in an action, you can use a 'to'-infinitive clause after a 'wh'-word as the reported clause.

• I asked him what to do.
• I shall teach you how to cook.

Here is a list of verbs which can be used with 'to'-infinitive clauses of this kind:

• describe, discover, discuss, explain, forget, guess, imagine, know, learn, realize, remember, reveal, say, see, suggest, teach, tell, think, understand, wonder

As an alternative to both kinds of 'to'-infinitive clause, you can use a clause containing 'should'.

• I wondered whether I should call for help.
• He began to wonder what he should do now.

All the verbs in the above lists, except 'choose' and 'debate', can also be used with ordinary clauses beginning with 'whether' or 'wh'-words. See paragraphs 7.32 to 7.35.