Multiple choice

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others. The winding roads of the hill town were less in number than the nearby town in the plains.

  1. were less in number than the nearby town in the plains.

  2. were less in number than those nearby town in the plains.

  3. were fewer in number than that of the nearby town in the plains.

  4. were fewer in number than those of the nearby town in the plains.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for (1): The sentence contains two errors. First, there is a faulty comparison. As constructed, the sentence makes an attempt to compare the number of winding roads of the hill town with the other. But the comparison should be between “roads” and “roads”. Second, when referring to discrete quantities, items that can be counted, we use the words “fewer” and “fewest” rather than “less” and “least”.

Explanation for (2): The option makes no coherent sense.

Explanation for (3): Roads are plural, so 'that' is inappropriate for comparison.
Justification for (4): This option correctly compares “roads” and “roads” and uses “fewer” in place of “less” Explanation for (5): The option makes no coherent sense.

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