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