Whatever vs Whatsoever

[Volcano1985]

The chairman had to admit that he had nothing further to add..........at the annual meeting in Brussels.

A)Morever
B)Whatever
C)As well
D)Which
E)Whatsoever

Why is the answer whatsoever ?

[engee30]

The chairman had to admit that he had nothing further to add..........at the annual meeting in Brussels.

A)Morever
B)Whatever
C)As well
D)Which
E)Whatsoever

Why is the answer whatsoever ?

whatsoever means (not) at all

[abaka]

The chairman had to admit that he had nothing further to add..........at the annual meeting in Brussels.

A)Morever
B)Whatever
C)As well
D)Which
E)Whatsoever

Why is the answer whatsoever ?

I'd like to add to Engee30. These are both correct:

(a) The chairman had to admit that he had nothing whatever further to add.

(b) The chairman had to admit that he had nothing further to add whatsoever.

Whatever=whatsoever (anything at all), but whatsoever is stronger; it is used at the end of a sentence, or at any rate after the verb, and usually carries the stress.

[engee30]

I'd like to add to Engee30. These are both correct:

(a) The chairman had to admit that he had nothing whatever further to add.

(b) The chairman had to admit that he had nothing further to add whatsoever.

Whatever=whatsoever (anything at all), but whatsoever is stronger; it is used at the end of a sentence, or at any rate after the verb.

It seems to me that this test question is a bit screwed up. Either whatever or whatsoever could easily be put into that gap.

[abaka]

It seems to me that this test question is a bit screwed up. Either whatever or whatsoever could easily be put into that gap.

Strictly speaking that's true, I think.

"whatsoever things are true, ponder those things" -- somewhere in the New Testament.

But the modern usage does distinguish their relative strength.

[engee30]

Strictly speaking that's true, I think.

"whatsoever things are true, ponder those things" -- somewhere in the New Testament.

But the modern usage does distinguish their relative strength.

That's exactly what I know about the two - one being stronger than the other. But the text, as it is, doesn't denote the use of emphasis, does it?

[abaka]

That's exactly what I know about the two - one being stronger than the other. But the text, as it is, doesn't denote the use of emphasis, does it?

Well, usually the stress rises as you get closer to the end (or the beginning) of a sentence.