I found it a bit difficult to understand "whatever" in the past tense sentence.
like this sentence below

Those were built piecemeal and utilised whatever materials became available.

It's maybe because I always associate "whatever" with sentences in which it is that refers some possiblity.
When it is used in the present tense , I totally get the meaning.

e.g. whatever you eat here, you will find it delicious.

how do you explan that "whatever" in other words in English?

Inglês (EUA)

"Whatever" is like the word "any" or "anything"

"Whatever you eat here, you will find it delicious."
= "Anything you eat here, you will find it delicious."

"Those were built piecemeal and utilised whatever materials became available."
= "Those were built piecemeal and utilised any material which became available."

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Inglês (EUA)
Malaio Quase Fluente

Consider whatever as equivalent almost to "any" when in past tense. So the sentence u used as an example could be read as "those were built ... and utilised any materials that became available". Its not perfect but close. An example is "whatever she said to him was negatively construed."

It can then be read as "anything she said to him was negatively construed."

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Japonês

@JanWoo @PPTGamer thank you! sorry but this is not the question I asked here though but came up to my mind..First of all..

Those were built piecemeal and
utilsed whatever materials became available.
＝
Those were built piecemeal and "those" utilsed whatever material became available.

?

PPTGamer

Inglês (EUA)

@hhhhqqqq Yes, it's like "I did my homework and used a calculator." = "I did my homework and I used a calculator."

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Inglês (EUA)
Malaio Quase Fluente

The first sentence almost seems like the second. However, with the second sentence, the extra use of "those" as per "those utilised" seems to imply that you may be referring to two different things. I.e., the first those refers to items a and the second those refers to items b.

I would generally prefer to use the first sentence. Its generally cleaner and easier to understand.

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Japonês

@PPTGamer Ah, I see! I thought it was like "Those were built piecemeal and "those were " utilsed whatever materials became available." then confused , thinking that this "whatever" was used here as a conjuction.

Japonês

@JanWoo oh ah I see! that's a new point for me when using "and". Sentences like that could make people misunderstand or cofused.

Inglês (EUA)
Malaio Quase Fluente

@hhhhqqqq to make it easier to understand, substitute "those" with the actual item. For example, "the houses were built piecemeal and utilised whatever materials became available" sounds better than "the houses were built piecemeal and the houses utilised whatever materials became available". Which also explains why you use the first sentence more.

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Japonês

@JanWoo you meant in this case we shouldn't repeat "the house" two times ,which should be annoying for people?

PPTGamer

Inglês (EUA)

@hhhhqqqq Yes, the main conjunction here is the "and" in the middle of the sentence:

Those [were built piecemeal] and [utilised whatever materials became available].

"whatever ~ became available" just decribes, "materials" : the materials are "anything/whatever" which satisfies the condition of "becoming available"
This phrase specifies the action "to utilize"

If there is no word in "~" you are referring to any general thing.

"I'll buy whatever books are cheap." = I will buy any book which is cheap.
"I'll buy whatever is cheap." = I will buy anything which is cheap.

Here, [whatever...cheap] describes what you will buy.

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Inglês (EUA)
Malaio Quase Fluente

@hhhhqqqq yes. And it could also be confusing. Since the first reference of "the houses" could actually mean "the houses in japan" and the second reference could mean "the houses in france." Example, "the houses in japan were built piecemeal and the houses in france utilised whatever materials became available." Some people could misunderstand this way.

If you are only referring to one item, use the first sentence of "those were built piecemeal and utilised ..." and most people will understand you are referring to only one item.

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