Using a 'whichever' phrase parenthetically

Question

Please can you tell me which you think is the better sentence? Are they all grammatical? Thank you

a. The servers make $10.00 per hour or 20 percent of their individual food sales, whichever is higher.

b. The servers make whichever is higher between $10.00 per hour or 20 percent of their individual food sales.

c. The servers make whatever is higher between $10.00 per hour or 20 percent of their individual food sales.

GPY · Accepted Answer

I prefer (a). To my ear, (b) and (c) are intelligible but clumsy.

Rick Terry · Answer

From my point of view you can place the "which ever is higher" in both the positions you have indicated.

The choice between "whatever" and "whichever" is that "whatever" refers to a choice from many things or from an infinite number of things, but "whichever" refers to a choice from a few things . Therefore in this instance whichever seems more correct (however I wouldn't mind betting that many native speakers don't always make this distinction)

However I don't fully understand the meaning of your sentences. Are you saying they either make $10 an hour or 20% of their individual sales? That is one value or the other. I personally would insert "either" into sentence a as follows (although this would be optional)

a. The servers make either $10.00 per hour or 20 percent of their individual food sales, whichever is higher.

I don't see how your use of "between" makes sense as it suggests a value between $10 and hour and 20% of sales. Which doesn't really work with the whichever/whatever construction. I am guessing that in these circumstances you should use "either" instead of "between"

Therefore, in summary the two correct sentences (in my opinion) would be

a. The servers make (either) $10.00 per hour or 20 percent of their individual food sales, whichever is higher.

b. The servers make whichever is higher - (either) $10.00 per hour or 20 percent of their individual food sales.

Using a 'whichever' phrase parenthetically

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