GAMT PREP

[charmanineW924]

The commission’s office of compliance, inspections, and investigations plans to intensify its scrutiny of stock analysts to investigate not only whether research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also whether conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or when they are paid for their work by a firm’s investment banking division.
A. to investigate not only whether research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also whether conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or when they are
B. to investigate not only whether research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also if conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or they are
C. to not only investigate whether or not research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also if conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or are
D. not only to investigate whether or not research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also whether conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or are
E. not only to investigate whether research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also whether conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or when

OA is A
I choose the right answer ,but I am confused about the word “whether” and the word“if”:
1.In D, I do not know whether the use of “whether or not ” is right. Can we use “or not ” , or if we can use ,which situations can we use “whether or not ”?
2.Is it the following sentence right? (I want to know the difference between “if” and “whether”when we express the same meanings)
...to investigate not only whether ..., but also if ...(if we ignore the parallelism )

Can someone help me ? Thank you.

[charmanineW924]

I am sorry

The quetion is :

The commission’s office of compliance, inspections, and investigations plans to intensify its scrutiny of stock analysts to investigate not only whether research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also whether conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or when they are paid for their work by a firm’s investment banking division.
A. to investigate not only whether research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also whether conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or when they are
B. to investigate not only whether research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also if conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or they are
C. to not only investigate whether or not research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also if conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or are
D. not only to investigate whether or not research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also whether conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or are
E. not only to investigate whether research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also whether conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or when

[RonPurewal]

1.In D, I do not know whether the use of “whether or not ” is right. Can we use “or not ” , or if we can use ,which situations can we use “whether or not ”?

if 'whether or not' is IN ONE PIECE, then it's redundant. (the meaning is fully captured by 'whether' already.)

[RonPurewal]

it is possible for 'whether ... or not' to make sense in a different type of context:
e.g.,
Laila will go to the concert, whether her sister can come or not.
(= the same thing as 'regardless of whether...')

[RonPurewal]

2.Is it the following sentence right? (I want to know the difference between “if” and “whether”when we express the same meanings)
...to investigate not only whether ..., but also if ...(if we ignore the parallelism )

Can someone help me ? Thank you.

the meanings of 'whether' and 'if' are mutually exclusive.

'whether' refers to yes/no situations (as it does here).

'if' CANNOT be used to mean 'whether'.
if 'whether' makes sense, then 'if' is WRONG.

'X if Y' means the same thing as 'if Y, then X'.

e.g.,
I will go to the concert if you can come with me.
--> if you can come with me, then i'll go to the concert.
(correct sentence)

[RonPurewal]

by the way, that ^^ is one instance in which spoken english follows exactly the opposite convention.

when people SPEAK english—even educated people—they very often use the word 'if' in place of 'whether'.

but, in formal written english... nope.

[charmanineW924]

Thanks for your great explanations. I think I understand . I thought "if" and "whether" can indicate the same meaning , maybe I mistook the spoken english with the written english.

[RonPurewal]

Thanks for your great explanations.

you're welcome!

maybe I mistook the spoken english with the written english.

almost certainly.

[RonPurewal]

you should know, by the way, that GMAC includes this sort of thing ('spoken language traps') to help ensure that the test is geographically fair.
i.e., these things are on the test because native speakers of english are MORE likely to get them wrong. thus they balance out other things (e.g., verb tenses) that native speakers are more likely to understand instinctively.

the irony here is that, as you become more fluent in spoken english, you'll probably become MORE likely to get these sorts of things incorrect!
be sure to maintain the distinction between spoken and written english at all times here.
ears = bad
eyes = good
end of story.

[aflaamM589]

whether cannot be made parallel with if, right? and thus a straightaway elimination.
( asking to reaffirm as it is not stated explicitly in post).

[RonPurewal]

right, because those two things have totally different grammatical functions.
"whether xxxx" plays the role of a noun; "if xxxx" absolutely cannot play the role of a noun. so it's functionally impossible to put them in parallel.

[JadeK255]

1.In D, I do not know whether the use of “whether or not ” is right. Can we use “or not ” , or if we can use ,which situations can we use “whether or not ”?

if 'whether or not' is IN ONE PIECE, then it's redundant. (the meaning is fully captured by 'whether' already.)

Hi Ron,

My understanding in D, other than redundant, another thing that rule D out is parallelism- in the right hand part there is nothing to parallel "not only to investigate". Am I understanding it right?

D. not only to investigate whether or not research is an independent function at brokerage firms, but also whether conflicts result when analysts own the stocks they write about or are

[RonPurewal]

yes, correct.

(make sure you can identify the correctly parallel structures in the RIGHT answer.)