Common Mistakes : Matter
Matter – Verb
BAD: It doesn’t matter the nationality of the archaeologists
GOOD: The nationality of the archaeologists doesn’t matter
BAD: Doesn’t matter the time
GOOD: The time doesn’t matter
it doesn’t matter + clause: ‘It doesn’t matter if you can’t answer all the questions. Just do your best.’ subject + doesn’t matter : ‘The results don’t matter. Just do your best
Noun
BAD: No matter he tries hard, he never succeeds in passing
GOOD: No matter how hard he tries, he never succeeds in passing
no matter how/who/whether etc + subject + verb : ‘No matter how much you help him, he never seems grateful.’ ‘No matter how late you set off, the roads are always busy.’ ‘No matter who you ask, they all say the same thing
BAD: The matter is that we won’t have enough room in the car to take your mother with us
GOOD: The problem is that we won’t have enough room in the car to take your mother with us
Matter is used to mean ‘problem’ or ‘trouble’ only in questions and negative sentences: What’s the matter?’ ‘Is anything the matter?’ ‘There’s nothing the matter
BAD: After the sauna they run and jump in the river, no matter if it’s freezing or not
GOOD: After the sauna they run and jump in the river, no matter whether it’s freezing or not
BAD: No matter they are rich or poor, they all come to us for advice
GOOD: No matter whether they are rich or poor, they all come to us for advice
no matter + wh- word (NOT if /nothing): ‘I’m not interested in the job, no matter how much they offer me.’ ‘No matter what you do for her, she’s never grateful
Note that no matter whether tends to sound awkward and there are usually simpler alternatives : ‘After the sauna they run and jump in the river, whether it’s freezing or not.’ Rich or poor, they all come to us for advice
BAD: No matter the recession, sales remained high
GOOD: In spite of the recession, sales remained high
No matter is always followed by a wh- clause : ‘No matter what they did, they couldn’t put the fire out.’ ‘No matter how cold it gets, we’ll keep warm somehow
In front of a noun phrase, use in spite of/despite : ‘In spite of the temperature outside, we managed to keep warm
BAD: The flight attendant told us that there wasn’t any matter; it was just a storm
GOOD: The flight attendant told us that nothing was the matter; it was just a storm
nothing/something is the matter or there is nothing/something the matter : ‘I think there’s something the matter with the central heating. It’s cold in here.’ ‘Don’t worry. Nothing’s the matter. It’s just a tiny cut