8.41 USAGE NOTE

When the verb in a 'whether'-clause is 'be', the subjunctive moodis sometimes used. When you use the subjunctive mood, you use the base form of a verb rather than the third person singular. This is a rather formal use.

• Always immediately report such behaviour to the nearest person in authority, whether it be a school teacher or a policeman or anyone else.

When the verb in a 'whether'-clause is 'be' and the subject is a personal pronoun such as 'they' or 'it', you can omit 'be' and the pronoun. For example, instead of saying 'All the villagers, whether they are young or old, help with the harvest', you can say 'All the villagers, whether young or old, help with the harvest'.

• A fresh pepper, whether red or green, lasts about three weeks.
• They help people, whether chance visitors or students of medieval history, to learn more of our past.

8.42

When you want to say that something is the case and that it does not matter which person, place, cause, method, or thing is involved, you use 'whoever', 'wherever', 'however', 'whatever', or 'whichever'.

• Whoever wins this civil war there will be little rejoicing at the victory.
• Wherever it is, you aren't going.
• However it began, the battle was bound to develop into a large-scale conflict.

'Whatever' and 'whichever' are used either as determiners or pronouns.

• Whatever brand you use, you will need four times as many teaspoonfuls as before.
• That is why the deficit remains of key importance this year, whatever the Chancellor might say.
• Whichever way you look at it, neutrality is folly.
• It can be served with vegetables or a salad, whichever is preferred.

Another way of saying that it does not matter who or what is involved is to use 'no matter' followed by 'who', 'where', 'how', 'what', or 'which'.

• Most people no matter who they are, seem to have at least one.
• Our aim is to recruit the best person for the job, no matter where they are from.
• No matter how I'm playing, I always get that special feeling.