less than v/s lower than

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less than v/s lower than

by necromancer_678 » Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:30 am
Although the government's expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than that spent by tobacco companies, many believe that the government should allocate no more funds to a battle they perceive as pointless.

A - expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than
B - expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amount to a sum dramatically less than
C - expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amount to a sum dramatically lower than
D - law suit expenditures regarding tobacco companies amount to a dramatically lower sum than
E - law suit expenditures against tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than

"sum" is an uncountable noun ...isn't it ??
Source: — Sentence Correction |

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Re: less than v/s lower than

by real2008 » Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:46 pm
necromancer_678 wrote:Although the government's expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than that spent by tobacco companies, many believe that the government should allocate no more funds to a battle they perceive as pointless.

A - expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than

B - expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amount to a sum dramatically less than
C - expenditures on law suits involving tobacco companies amount to a sum dramatically lower than
D - law suit expenditures regarding tobacco companies amount to a dramatically lower sum than
E - law suit expenditures against tobacco companies amounts to a sum dramatically lower than

"sum" is an uncountable noun ...isn't it ??
'the government's expenditures' should take verb in plural form i.e. amount to and hence A& E are out.

now, in B the use of 'amount to a sum dramatically less than' is correct

in C, 'amount to a sum dramatically lower than' is not correct use

D is awkward

Comment please on my explanations. Correct me if I am wrong.

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