Page 268 - Basic English Usage

359 — 361 270

359 well

Wellis an adverb, with the same kind of meaning as the adjective good.
Compare:
It's a good car. (adjective)
it runs well. (adverb)
She speaks good English.
She speaks English well. (NOT She-speaks English geod-)
Note that we cannot say She speaks well English.
(Adverbs cannot go between the verb and the object — see 13.1.)

Weil is also an adjective, meaning ‘in good health’.
‘How are you?’ ‘Quite well, thanks.’
| don't feel very well.
Well is not usually used before a noun.
We can say She's well, but not awelt-gia
For i/fand sick, see 169

360 when and if

We use /fto say that we are not sure whether something will happen.
I'll see you in August, if | come to New York.
(Perhaps I'll come to New York; perhaps | won't.)
We use when to say that we are sure that something will happen.
lll see you in August, when | come to New York.
(’m sure Iti come to New York.)
We can use both ifand when to talk about things that always happen.
There is not much difference of meaning.
If/When you heat ice, it turns into water.

361 whether and if

In reported questions (see 284), we can use both whether and if.
I'm not sure whether/if |'ll have time.
| asked whether/if she had any letters for me.
We prefer whether before or, especially in a formal style.
Let me know whether you can come or not.
(... if... is possible in an informal style.)

2 After discuss, only whether is possible.
We discussed whether we should close the shop.
(NOT We-diseussedif ...)