OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

To small investors, deciding whether or not to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like a gamble.


A. To small investors, deciding whether or not to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like a gamble

Incorrect.

While this answer choice is grammatically correct, it is stylistically flawed. Using or not after whether is redundant.

It is true that stylistic mistakes are not always corrected. However, since there is another grammatically correct answer choice that is also more concise than this one, it is preferable. Look for it!


B. Deciding whether to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like gambling to a small investor

This answer choice corrects the redundancy of the original sentence by omitting the words or not. Although it changes the sentence structure and some of the wording, the corrected sentence has the same meaning as the original sentence.


C. To small investors, it seems like it is a gamble to decide whether to purchase assets in the real estate market

Incorrect.

Although this answer choice corrects the stylistic flaw in the original sentence by omitting the words or not, it is redundant. The phrase like it is a gamble is wordy and redundant. Look for a more concise answer choice.


D. For a small investor, the decision whether to purchase assets in the real estate market or not often seems like a gamble

Incorrect.

While this answer choice is grammatically correct, it is stylistically flawed and repeats the original mistake. Using or not after whether is redundant.

It is true that stylistic mistakes are not always corrected. However, since there is another grammatically correct answer choice that is also more concise than this one, it is preferable. Look for it!


E. The deciding whether to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like a gamble to a small investor

Incorrect.

Although this answer corrects the stylistic error in the original sentence, it is grammatically incorrect. The corrected sentence incorrectly replaces the verbal V+ing form deciding with the noun replacement The deciding (the use of the article the indicates that this is a noun replacement). Verb+ing (The deciding) can be used as a noun replacement only when there's no actual corresponding noun. Since there is a real noun - decision - it should be used instead.
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Correct Option B

A. To small investors, deciding whether or not to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like a gamble
Flaw:
- wheter or not - Redundancy
- Small investor (Noun) and gamble (Noun), we need gambling as verb, and should be as near to each other in the sentence

B. Deciding whether to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like gambling to a small investor - Correct

C. To small investors, it seems like it is a gamble to decide whether to purchase assets in the real estate market
Flaw
- Redundancy with usage of "It" & to decide_whether to
- Small investor (Noun) and gamble (Noun), we need gambling as verb, and should be as near to each other in the sentence

D. For a small investor, the decision whether to purchase assets in the real estate market or not often seems like a gamble
Flaw: Redundancy, with the decision, whether to, or not. (small investor, must be near to gamble)

E. The deciding whether to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like a gamble to a small investor
FLaw :
- Redundancy - the deciding, whether to
- Small investor (Noun) and gamble (Noun), we need gambling as verb, and should be as near to each other in the sentence

To small investors, deciding whether or not to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like a gamble.

A. To small investors, deciding whether or not to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like a gamble
Grammatically it is okay, but "or not" is unnecessary & wordy. Eliminate.

B. Deciding whether to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like gambling to a small investor
Retains the meaning of the original sentence, and the wordiness is not present in this choice. So, the right answer choice is B.


C. To small investors, it seems like it is a gamble to decide whether to purchase assets in the real estate market
"It is a gamble" can be replaced by just "a gamble" and made concise. Eliminate for wordiness.


D. For a small investor, the decision whether to purchase assets in the real estate market or not often seems like a gamble
Usage of "or not" looks okay grammatically here but not required when we try to make the sentence concise. Eliminate

But when used as a modifier then the usage of "or not" is required.
I'll go home whether or not you come. (will go - verb, note here "I'll go home" by itself a sentence, whether here is a modifier)



E. The deciding whether to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like a gamble to a small investor
"The deciding" usage here is incorrect as we cannot consider it is a noun, as there is already a noun, "Decision" whose usage will be grammatically appropriate here. We can modify a noun to use -ing verb form(like deciding). Eliminate

A. To small investors, deciding whether or not to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like a gamble
-> Redundancy

B. Deciding whether to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like gambling to a small investor
-> correct.

C. To small investors, it seems like it is a gamble to decide whether to purchase assets in the real estate market
-> ambiguous pronoun "it"
D. For a small investor, the decision whether to purchase assets in the real estate market or not often seems like a gamble
-> Redundancy


E. The deciding whether to purchase assets in the real estate market can seem like a gamble to a small investor[/quote]
-> it should be "decision"

IMO: B

Is there any issue with usage of "can seem".