The pattern

"I'm not sure if" plus a sentence admits uncertainty without stopping the conversation. "I'm not sure if the store is open" is honest and invites help. It is the ideal sentence for a learner, because it lets you share what you do know while flagging what you don't.

"Whether" works the same way and is slightly more formal: "I'm not sure whether she's coming." With a question word it changes shape: "I'm not sure what time it starts", "I'm not sure where he lives". Note the word order: it stays like a statement, not a question.

Say it out loud

Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.

  6. With a question word, statement order: "what time it starts", not "what time does it start".

  8. "If" can drop out in casual speech.

  10. The opposite: fairly confident.

Check yourself

1Which word order is correct?
2Which is the calmer way to ask for another explanation?
3What does "I'm pretty sure" mean?

Practice · 3 min

Admit uncertainty, and ask for help. Prompt on the left, one natural sentence on the right.

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Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.