Standard English ConventionsEasy–MediumFewer versus less
Standard English Conventions practice question
There were ____ applicants for the apprenticeship this year than last year.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. fewerCorrect
- B. less
- C. lesser
- D. few of
Answer: A. fewer
'applicants' can be counted, so the comparison uses 'fewer'. 'less' is for quantities that aren't counted, such as 'less time'.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. less
- 'less' is for uncountable quantities; applicants are counted one by one.
- C. lesser
- 'lesser' means 'smaller in importance', and it isn't used with 'than' this way.
- D. few of
- 'few of applicants' is not a standard phrase and doesn't make a comparison.
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Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
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