To small investors, deciding whether or not to purchase assets in the

Question

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

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

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

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

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

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

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.

100mitra · Answer

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

sivatx2 · Answer

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

huongguyen · Answer

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 
 -> it should be "decision"

IMO:   B

thakurarun85 · Answer

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

thakurarun85 · Answer

Bunuel 
can you help me with this.

ExpertsGlobal5 · Answer

Hello  thakurarun85 ,

We hope this finds you well.

Having gone through the question and your query, we believe we can resolve your doubt.

There is nothing wrong with the use of "can seem" here; it is a perfectly grammatical phrase that conveys the correct and logical meaning - that it is possible for purchasing assets in the real estate market to seem like gambling.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team

thakurarun85 · Answer

Let me explain.

I think can and seem both do same job in this statement. I feel that if we keep only seem it suffice the purpose, making "can" redundant.

ExpertsGlobal5 · Answer

Hello  thakurarun85 ,

We hope this finds you well. Thank you for this clarification.

To resolve your doubt, "can" is not redundant, as it and "seem" convey two separate meanings. "seem" is the main verb, and "can" conveys that the action of "seeming" is  possible  rather than  certain . Further, without "can", we would have subject-verb disagreement between the singular subject "deciding" and the plural verb "seem".

We hope this helps. 
All the best!
Experts' Global Team

VerbalBot · Answer

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To small investors, deciding whether or not to purchase assets in the

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To small investors, deciding whether or not to purchase assets in the

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