Suggested Answers for Check Questions

‘Whether’ differs from other complementizers in that it can introduce both finite and non-finite clauses. Secondly, as opposed to other complementizers, it can be coordinated with the negative particle not. In Old English ‘whether’ was used to introduce yes-no questions, yet Old English clauses were not introduced by complementizers, so ‘whether’ is assumed not to be one either. Although ‘whether’ is similar to wh-elements in that they can also introduce finite and non-finite clauses (e.g. what he should do – what to do; whether he should go – whether (or not) to go), it differs from wh-elements in that unlike wh-phrases, it is not associated with a gap inside the clause containing it.