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.

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'.

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'.

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

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'.