make sure whether

USAGE SUMMARY

'make sure whether' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used when you want to ensure that something is definitely true or false, for example: "You should make sure whether the store is open before you head out."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

"On the other hand, we have an obligation to analyze these products to make sure whether they're something we regulate".

The New York Times

I always make sure whether my students have understood me quite well or not.

Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education

Thus, at any sides, we cannot make sure whether the correction is proper or not.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

During the propagation of the landslides, it is difficult to make sure whether the earthquake shake still continues or not.

Geoenvironmental Disasters

"We are eager to make sure whether there is further evidence of this practice".

Forbes

Therefore, it is of utmost importance to make sure whether the pollen sterility could be overcome by using Sa n and Sb n in autotetraploid rice hybrids.

Rice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

"The one piece you can control, which is making sure whether it's a recruit or a coach or an administrator, you control human capital," he said.

The New York Times

"We are making sure whether it was avtur (aviation fuel) from the AirAsia plane or from a vessel because that location is a shipping line," Indonesian Air Force spokesman Hadi Tjahjanto said.

Vice

As the Times also reports, some of Wall Street's largest, and most troubled, banks like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citibank, and Bank of America made sure, whether they showed profit or not, to pass along huge bonuses and pay packages to their executives.

Huffington Post

He said the private sector was growing, "but not as fast as I would like", and vowed to step up efforts "to make sure that whether it's bank lending, whether its manufacturing industry, whether it's regional policy … work programmes to help millions of people with training, make sure all these things are delivering".

The Guardian

We have to make sure that — whether it's 5 or 7 or 10percentt — we get those values someplace else.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "make sure whether" to emphasize the need for clarity or certainty about a particular situation or condition.

Common error

While "make sure whether" is grammatically sound, avoid using it in overly complex sentences where simpler alternatives like "check if" or "determine whether" would improve clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make sure whether" functions as a connector, emphasizing the necessity of verifying a condition or situation. It's used to introduce a clause that expresses doubt or uncertainty, requiring confirmation. According to Ludwig, it expresses that something is true or false and that it is important to find out.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

34%

Wiki

21%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "make sure whether" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression that emphasizes the importance of verifying a condition or situation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is used to ensure the truth or falsehood of something. This expression is most frequently found in scientific literature, news reports, and wikis. While the phrase is grammatically sound and widely understood, writers should consider whether more concise alternatives like "check if" or "determine whether" might better serve their purposes in specific contexts. The key is to ensure clarity and avoid redundancy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ascertain whether

This alternative emphasizes the act of discovering something with certainty.

verify if

This alternative uses "verify" instead of "make sure", implying a formal confirmation process.

confirm whether

This alternative focuses on establishing the truth or correctness of something.

determine if

This alternative emphasizes finding out a specific fact or outcome.

check to see if

This alternative is more informal, suggesting a simple check or observation.

find out whether

This alternative emphasizes the process of gaining information.

establish whether

This alternative implies a more rigorous or formal process of finding out the truth.

ensure if

This option replace 'make sure' with 'ensure'.

investigate whether

This alternative suggests a detailed inquiry to uncover information.

look into whether

This suggests a preliminary investigation to see if something is the case.

FAQs

How can I use "make sure whether" in a sentence?

You can use "make sure whether" to emphasize the importance of verifying a fact or condition. For example, "Make sure whether the store is open before driving there."

What's a more concise alternative to "make sure whether"?

Alternatives include "check if", "determine whether", or simply "verify if", depending on the context.

Is it ever incorrect to use "make sure whether"?

While grammatically correct, "make sure whether" can sometimes sound less concise than alternatives like "check if" or "confirm whether", so choose the phrasing that best suits your desired tone and clarity.

When is it best to use "make sure whether" instead of "make sure that"?

"Make sure whether" is used when there are two or more possibilities and you want to confirm which one is true. "Make sure that" is used when you want to ensure a specific action is taken or a condition is met.