Nominal or noun clauses are of four types:
- That-clause
- Interrogative clause
- Wh-interrogative clause (they’re introduced by wh-word such as who, whom, whose, what, which, how, etc.)
- Yes-no interrogative clause (they’re introduced by if and whether)
- Alternative interrogative clause (they’re introduced by correlatives if…or and whether…or)
- Exclamative clause
- Nominal relative clause
Note: We haven’t included non-finite clauses (to-infinitive clause and –ing clause) in the above list.
This post covers last of the three interrogative clauses: alternative interrogative clause.
What is alternative interrogative clause?
An alternative interrogative clause, also called indirect question, is a noun clause that asks question whose answer is one of the two alternatives provided.
(A yes-no interrogative clause, on the other hand, asks question whose answer is yes or no. And a wh-interrogative clause asks question whose answer is an unknown information. The answer to underlined alternative interrogative clause in He asked whether they should travel by car or by train, for example, will be one of the two alternatives provided: travel by car or travel by train. It won’t be yes or no. It won’t be an unknown information.)
It is introduced by correlatives whether…or or if…or. (A yes-no interrogative clause is introduced by whether or if.) If the second leg of the correlative is a complete clause, we repeat the subordinating conjunction whether or if. Otherwise, not. Examples:
He asked whether they should travel by car or by train.
He asked whether they should travel by car or whether they should travel by train. [whether is repeated because the second leg (they should travel by train) is a complete clause.]
They were unsure whether the plan would succeed or fail in the long run.
He asked if the package had been delivered or if it was still in transit. [if is repeated because the second leg (it was still in transit) is a complete clause.]
They wondered if the presentation would be postponed or canceled altogether.
Alternative interrogative clause may be confused with yes-no interrogative clause
Yes-no interrogative clauses are introduced by if and whether, but sometimes or not is added to the two to elicit yes or no answer even more explicitly. Examples:
The real concern is whether he will make it on time or not.
I don’t know if they’ll approve the budget this week or not.
With or, they look similar to alternative interrogative clauses, but they still are yes-no interrogative clauses because the answer to these indirect questions is still yes or no. It’ not one of the two alternatives provided.
Alternative interrogative clause may be confused with adverb clause
An alternative conditional-concessive clause, an adverb clause, too is introduced by correlative whether…or. Don’t confuse it with alternative interrogative clause, which is a noun clause. Examples of adverb clause:
We will proceed with our plans whether they accept the offer or reject it.
We will continue with our plans for the picnic whether the weather is sunny or whether it is rainy.
In the above two examples, you can move the clause to front without distorting the sentence or changing the meaning, implying they’re adverb clause. Doing the same with alternative interrogative clause will distort the sentence.
So far, we’ve looked at alternative interrogative clauses that are finite (those with subject and finite verb). But they can be non-finite too. Let’s have a brief look at them.
Non-finite alternative interrogative clause
Alternative interrogative clause can also take the form of to-infinitive clause (also called infinitive phrase). Of the two correlatives, only whether…or can introduce an infinitive clause. Examples:
She’s trying to decide whether to stay or leave.
They were unsure whether to accept the offer or decline it.
He couldn’t figure out whether to call her or wait.
In finite clause, we repeat whether if the second leg of the correlative is a complete clause. In non-finite clause, whether is optional if the second leg is a complete clause.
She’s trying to decide whether to stay or (whether) to leave. [Parenthesis means optional.]
They were unsure whether to accept the offer or (whether) to decline it.
He couldn’t figure out whether to call her or (whether) to wait.
However, if the clause is incomplete (without to), whether is omitted, like it has been in the first set of three examples.