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Mitsuo23 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

With or without if/whether

Hi all,

I see sentences like "I don't know that I could do nothing" quite commonly, but I think there should be "if" or "whether" between that and I.

Will you explain when I can apply this rule, and what the difference is?

Thanks,
M
  

Top answer

It's OK as it is, but there is no rule to explain that I know of; they are simply different ways of expression using 'know' and perhaps a few other verbs. I don't know that I could eat fried cockroaches. I don't know if/whether (or not) I could eat fried cockroaches.

— Mister Micawber

  • It's OK as it is, but there is no rule to explain that I know of; they are simply different ways of expression using 'know' and perhaps a few other verbs.
  • I don't know that I could eat fried cockroaches.
  • I don't know if/whether (or not) I could eat fried cockroaches.
  • I doubt that I could...
  • I doubt if /whether (or not) I could..
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1 Answers
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It's OK as it is, but there is no rule to explain that I know of; they are simply different ways of expression using 'know' and perhaps a few other verbs.

I don't know that I could eat fried cockroaches.
I don't know if/whether (or not) I could eat fried cockroaches.

I doubt that I could...
I doubt if /whether (or not) I could...

Ther
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