whatever | wherever | whenever | however

In the English Vocabulary Profile,

‘Whatever’ is listed as a pronoun at B1 meaning ‘anything’ or ‘everything’, one example they give is:

Whatever say I always seem to get it wrong.

This EVP example could be rewritten as:

As a pronoun or a determiner at B2 meaning ‘no difference’:

Whatever you decide, I hope you enjoy a wonderful summer.

It could be rewritten as

  • I hope you enjoy a wonderful summer whatever you decide.

At B2or whatever‘ is listed with the example:

If you need to wash, or whateverwe can meet you later.


‘however’ as a CONJUNCTION is listed at C2 meaning ‘in whatever way’
The EVP examples include:

However you look at it, it‘s still a mess.
However you do it, the important part is that you relax.

These can be rewritten as:


The front position for focus is what makes it even more advanced, and the language is already very complex.  It is not easy to find a complete answer about the grammar terms here, but it may be:

 universal conditional-concessive clause and “whatever” is a subordinator (CoGEL 14.20 p. 1006).


C1 English Grammar Profile point 22 in CONJUNCTIONS/subordinating is defined as:

‘whatever’, ‘wherever’, ‘however’, etc. as a subordinating conjunction, at the beginning of a sentence, to give focus.


The ‘etc.’ means other similar forms are possible.  So that should include ‘whenever’ as a conjunction is B1 in the EVP and means any time or every time.  *Note at B2, ‘whoever’ is a pronoun and ‘whichever’ is listed as a pronoun or a determiner.

For example:

Whenever you reverse, things come from behind you. 

listen

However it happened, the underworld is overcrowded, and Zeus has ordered Hades to let some spirits out.


A search in iWeb for

. whatever|wherever|however _P *

1 . HOWEVER IT IS 8037

2 . WHATEVER YOU DO

5235

Whatever you do, don’t read anything about genetics that‘s published within your lifetime.

3 . WHATEVER IT IS 5222
4 . HOWEVER I DO 3327
5 . HOWEVER I HAVE 3174
6 . HOWEVER YOU CAN 2609
7 . HOWEVER I AM 2450
8 . HOWEVER IT WAS 2416
9 . WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE 2092
10 . HOWEVER IT ‘S 1971
11 . HOWEVER IT DOES 1693
12 . HOWEVER THEY ARE 1573
13 . WHATEVER YOU DECIDE 1551
14 . HOWEVER I THINK 1496
15 . HOWEVER I WOULD 1468
16 . WHEREVER YOU ARE 1351
17 . HOWEVER I ‘M 1260
18 . HOWEVER I DID 1232
19 . HOWEVER I WAS 1205
20 . WHATEVER YOU WANT 1201

Wherever we live, we’re already being affected by a changing climate.

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