[email protected] wrote:A recent national study of the public schools shows that there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were four years ago

(A) there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were
(B) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were
(C) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many as there were
(D) every thirty-two pupils now have one microcomputer, four times as many than there were
(E) every thirty-two pupils now has one microcomputer, four times as many as

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It's obvious that the idiom "as many as" should be used, which leaves me with choice (C), or (E)
Then (E) is incorrect, it does not conform to standard comparison
but I don't think (C) is correct. At the end, why "there were", not "there was"????
I guess "one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils" is an ambiguous phrase here
Would anyone help me explain this question

raunekk wrote: do we have to consider " four times" that refers to microcomputer , as plural.....??

raunekk wrote:@4meonly

thanks a lot man...

But my question is "four times" ( figure/date) is taken as plural...

or for that matter,,,,

two times, three times.... and so on.. all are plural???

or it depends on the context/subject??

for e.g:

Is Esperanto at least four times easier to learn?

thanks

4meonly wrote:

raunekk wrote: do we have to consider " four times" that refers to microcomputer , as plural.....??

It doesnt refer to computers, four times refers to figure/data.

A recent national study of the public schools shows that there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were four years ago

(A) there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were
(B) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were
(C) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many as there were - Correct
(D) every thirty-two pupils now have one microcomputer, four times as many than there were - Changes the meaning
(E) every thirty-two pupils now has one microcomputer, four times as many as - Changes the meaning

sam98034 wrote:there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many as there were four years ago.

there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many [microcomputers] as there were four years ago.

"Microcomputers" is implied...otherwise, four times as many what?

and does "four times as many [microcomputer] as there is four years ago" sound right to you?