whether they become

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "whether they become" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing possibilities or outcomes regarding a subject or situation. Example: "The researchers are studying the effects of the new drug, whether they become more effective over time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

As international systems of finance, supply chains, health, energy, the Internet and the environment become more complex and interdependent, their level of resilience determines whether they become bulwarks of global stability or amplifiers of cascading shocks.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

Both pieces of legislation address youth sports concussions, but in different ways that could determine whether they become federal law.

The New York Times - Sports

These are skills that will help them, she added, whether they become rabbinical students or racecar drivers.

The New York Times

She also plans to study strangers, measure their neurological responses to video clips, and see if similarity predicts whether they become friends when they meet.

University of California, Berkeley

"We feel like we're preparing these kids to be producers of media — whether they become graphic designers, video designers, journalists, publishers, communicators, bloggers, whatever," he said.

The New York Times - Magazine

Whether they become more intimate with you is a matter of fortune and how playful you are in return to their advances.

The Guardian - Travel

The study did not look at how easily nanotubes become airborne or whether they become lodged in the lungs if inhaled.

The New York Times - Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

I only want them to be free, to live the life they were meant to live--whether they become carpenters or concert pianists, homebodies or nomads, gay or straight, city slickers or country bumpkins.

Huffington Post

"I don't know whether they became uncool," Mr. Hoover said.

The New York Times

It depends on a lot of things like how old they are, what group they joined, whether they became disillusioned and cooperated with authorities," he said.

The Guardian

It is also questioned whether MI5 and MI6 told ministers about their "growing awareness" of the CIA's rendition operations, whether they became "inappropriately involved", "condoned", and "took advantage" of them.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "whether they become" to introduce alternative outcomes or possibilities in a sentence. It's particularly useful when discussing conditional scenarios.

Common error

Avoid using "if" in place of "whether" when presenting two or more explicit alternatives. "Whether" is more appropriate when indicating a choice between options.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "whether they become" functions as a conjunction phrase introducing a clause that presents alternative possibilities or outcomes. As Ludwig AI confirms, it introduces dependent clauses specifying a condition or uncertainty. It's used to explore different scenarios depending on a specific transformation or state.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "whether they become" is a grammatically correct and commonly used conjunction phrase that introduces alternative possibilities or outcomes. As verified by Ludwig AI, it is suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and academia, with a neutral register. When writing, it's crucial to use "whether" rather than "if" to accurately present choices. Alternatives include "if they turn into" and "depending on whether they turn out to be". Highly authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian frequently employ this expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

if they turn into

Focuses on the transformation aspect, implying a change of state.

if they develop into

Emphasizes a process of growth or evolution into something else.

should they evolve into

Suggests a gradual change or progression over time, with a slightly more formal tone.

in the event they become

Introduces a formal tone, highlighting a condition that may or may not occur.

depending on whether they turn out to be

Emphasizes uncertainty and the role of chance in determining the outcome.

contingent on them becoming

Highlights the dependence of a future event on their transformation.

subject to their transformation into

Indicates that a particular outcome is conditional on their evolution.

assuming they metamorphose into

Suggests a significant or dramatic transformation, similar to metamorphosis.

provided that they are transformed into

Emphasizes a prerequisite condition for a specific outcome.

if it transpires that they become

Adds an element of discovery or realization to the conditional statement.

FAQs

How can I use "whether they become" in a sentence?

Use "whether they become" to introduce a condition or choice between potential outcomes, such as, "The study will examine "whether they become" successful or not."

Are there alternatives to using "whether they become"?

Yes, depending on the context, you can use phrases like "if they turn into", "if they develop into", or "depending on "whether they turn out to be"".

What's the difference between using "if they become" and "whether they become"?

"Whether they become" is usually preferred when there are two or more explicit alternatives being considered. "If they become" can be used when there's a single condition, but using ""whether they become"" is grammatically sound in either situation.

Is "whether they become" considered formal or informal language?

The phrase ""whether they become"" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, making it versatile for various writing styles.