After the Detroit Lions' abysmal 0 win and 16 loss season in 2008, the

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After the Detroit Lions' abysmal 0 win and 16 loss season in 2008, the owner of the team fired the head coach. In the days that followed this decision, one professional sporting analyst said: "the prospects of the Lions becoming a competitive franchise depends on if the team can procure a talented and disciplined coach."

(A) depends on if
(B) depend on whether
(C) depends on whether
(D) depend on if
(E) depend whether

(A) depends on if
(B) depend on whether
(C) depends on whether
(D) depend on if
(E) depend whether

vg18 · Answer

Prospects should take plural verb. Therefore, eliminate a and c(depends)
Use of if is wrong here. Eliminate d. Depend requires on to make sense. Eliminate e
IMO B

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anvesh004 · Answer

IMO, Ans is B.

Prospects is plural, so we need plural "depend". Eliminate A & C.

Depend should be followed by "on". Eliminate E.

We need "whether" to show the 2 outcomes (can and cannot). Answer is B.

Archit3110 · Answer

IMO B ; depend on whether
The prospects will go with depend 
option B,,D,E 
D is wrong because of  if  
and E is wrong because on whether is akward
option B is correct

After the Detroit Lions' abysmal 0 win and 16 loss season in 2008, the owner of the team fired the head coach. In the days that followed this decision, one professional sporting analyst said: "the prospects of the Lions becoming a competitive franchise depends on if the team can procure a talented and disciplined coach."

(A) depends on if
(B) depend on whether
(C) depends on whether
(D) depend on if
(E) depend whether

(A) depends on if
(B) depend on whether
(C) depends on whether
(D) depend on if
(E) depend whether

madgmat2019 · Answer

prospects-----plural results in plural verb-------depend and here usage of whether is correct

(B) depend on whether

OA:B

chowdhurysakib71 · Answer

As the Subject is prospects, the verb will be 'depend'. And idiomatically it will be followed by 'on'. And we should use 'whether' instead of 'if'. If is used in conditional sentences.

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exc4libur · Answer

IDIOM: "depend(s) on whether"
SVA: "the prospects" is plural, so we need "depend" (plural).

Ans (B)

eakabuah · Answer

The right answer is option B.

After the Detroit Lions' abysmal 0 win and 16 loss season in 2008, the owner of the team fired the head coach. In the days that followed this decision, one professional sporting analyst said: "the prospects of the Lions becoming a competitive franchise depends on if the team can procure a talented and disciplined coach."

(A) depends on if
(B) depend on whether
(C) depends on whether
(D) depend on if
(E) depend whether

The subject of the sentence is  the prospects , which is plural, so the verb has to be plural. But option A and C have singular verbs, we, therefore, have a subject-verb agreement error. Eliminate options A and C.
The second issue is a split between  depend on if  vs  depend on whether . The use of  if  in the context is incorrect.  If  is used to express the condition that has to be true for an action or an event to occur. From the meaning of this sentence, there is no conditionality, hence the use of  if  is inappropriate. Options D can, therefore, be eliminated.
Between D and E, option E omits the preposition on, hence incorrect. The right answer is, therefore, option B.

(A)  depends  on  if 
(B) depend on whether
(C)  depends  on whether
(D) depend on  if 
(E) depend  on ] whether

ankaua · Answer

After the Detroit Lions' abysmal 0 win and 16 loss season in 2008, the owner of the team fired the head coach. In the days that followed this decision, one professional sporting analyst said: "the prospects of the Lions becoming a competitive franchise depends on if the team can procure a talented and disciplined coach."

IF is used for a conditional sentence, whereas WHETHER is used when the intent is to depict a choice, an alternative or a possibility.
For those, who are seeking to learn more, nice explanation can be found in the attachment to @EducationAisle's comment here: https://gmatclub.com/forum/when-to-use- ... l#p1882117
The sentence does not present a condition rather a possibility, so we need "whether". For this reason, A is out.

Quote:

(B) depend on whether

- correct choice

Quote:

(C) depends on whether

- Subject-Verb agreement error, plural subject "the prospects" requires plural verb

Quote:

(D) depend on if

- incorrect because of "if", same as in A

Quote:

(E) depend whether

- "depend on" is idiomatic usage, so B wins over E

lacktutor · Answer

“Depend on something” is idiom

“the prospects” is plural. —> the verb should be “depend on”, not “depends on” A,C are out.

—> it is not conditional sentence. Well, “ whether” should be used to to show that two alternatives are possible (yes or no)

The answer is B

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Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

There are two main problems with this sentence.

(1)The subject ( prospects , which is plural) does not agree with the verb ( depends , which is singular and should be replaced by the plural verb  depend ).

(2)The idiom  depend on whether  is correct not  depend on if

A. the verb  depends  (singular) should be replaced by the verb  depend  (plural) as a plural subject ( prospects ) requires a plural verb; the phrase  depends on if is  not idiomatically correct

B. the subject  prospects  (plural) agrees with the verb  depend  (plural);  depend on whether  is idiomatically correct

C. the verb  depends  (singular) should be replaced by the verb  depend  (plural) as a plural subject ( prospects ) requires a plural verb

D.  depend  on if is not idiomatically correct

E. the phrase  the prospects ... depend whether the team can procure  is awkward and the correct idiom  depend on whether  should be used

VerbalBot · Answer

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After the Detroit Lions' abysmal 0 win and 16 loss season in 2008, the

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

After the Detroit Lions' abysmal 0 win and 16 loss season in 2008, the

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