Grammar Improvement: Replacing "whether if"

This question asks us to find the best replacement for the underlined phrase "whether if" in the sentence to make it grammatically correct and improve clarity. The original sentence is: "It depends whether if the applicant performs well in the interview."

Understanding Sentence Structure

Let's analyze the structure of the sentence and the function of the underlined words:

• The phrase "It depends" indicates that something is contingent upon a specific condition or factor.
• Grammatically, "It depends" is typically followed by the preposition "on", which then introduces the clause stating the condition. The structure is usually "It depends on something".
• The "something" here is the condition of the applicant performing well in the interview. We need a word or phrase that introduces this condition or possibility.

Analyzing the Underlined Phrase "whether if"

The combination "whether if" is redundant in standard English grammar.

• "Whether" is used to introduce reported questions or statements expressing doubt or alternatives (e.g., "I don't know whether he will come.").
• "If" is used to introduce conditional clauses (e.g., "If it rains, we will stay inside.").

While both "whether" and "if" can introduce clauses expressing uncertainty, using them together as "whether if" is incorrect. "Whether" alone sufficiently introduces the alternatives (the applicant performs well vs. does not perform well).

Evaluating the Options

Let's examine each option to see which best fits the sentence structure:

• 1. whether if: This is the original phrase and is grammatically incorrect due to redundancy.
• 2. on whether: This option correctly uses the preposition "on" after "depends", followed by "whether". The structure "It depends on whether..." is standard and correctly introduces the condition related to the applicant's performance.
• 3. whether how: This combination is grammatically incorrect. "How" introduces a clause explaining manner or method, which does not fit the structure required after "depends" in this context.
• 4. when whether: This is also grammatically incorrect. "When" relates to time, and combining it with "whether" creates an ungrammatical phrase.

Correct Usage

The correct and most natural way to phrase the sentence is to use "It depends on whether...". This structure clearly links the dependency to the condition expressed by the clause starting with "whether".

The improved sentence reads: "It depends on whether the applicant performs well in the interview."