BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

any thought!!!

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 226
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 12:19 am
Thanked: 3 times
Followed by:2 members

any thought!!!

by nafiul9090 » Fri Jun 08, 2012 5:38 pm
Since 1966, roughly 21 percent of those enlisted in the USMC had reached
an E-5 ranking in fewer than three years.

(A) had reached an E-5 ranking in fewer than three years
(B) have reached an E-5 ranking in less than three years
(C) have reached an E-5 ranking in under three years
(D) had reached an E-5 ranking in less than three years
(E) have reached an E-5 ranking in fewer than three years

guys any thought ??
Top
Source: — Sentence Correction |
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 342
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2009 8:50 am
Thanked: 214 times
Followed by:19 members
GMAT Score:740

by Birottam Dutta » Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:49 pm
Here, what we mainly need to choose is the had/have and the less/fewer than part.

Coming to the original sentence, the sentence starts off with "Since 1966,..." this implies that it is an ongoing activity from 1966 to present. So, here we need to choose have and not had. Had implies only past tense whereas have suggests that from past to current, so we choose have.

So, A and D are eliminated.

Now, come to less than fewer than.

Fewer than is used for countable nouns which have plurals such as dogs, newspapers, umbrellas, men,etc. For example, there are fewer boys present today, than there were yesterday.

Less is used for uncountable nouns or does not have a plural such time, rain, money, Air, water etc.

Example: I have less money now than I had a month back.

Less is also used when a Number is on its own and associated with its unit of measurement.

Example: Thier marriage lasted less than two years.

Now one thing to note here is that "I have fewer than two dollars" is not correct but "I have less than two dollars" is correct, as dollars is the unit of measurement and two is the quantity.

Using this logic, in the above sentence, less than three years is the correct version.

So, the correct choice is B!
Top
User avatar
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 5:29 am
Followed by:1 members

by ananyaray9 » Sat Jun 09, 2012 8:01 am
thank u...it was a good explanation...
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 109
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 7:09 am
Thanked: 8 times
Followed by:2 members

by ankita1709 » Sat Jun 09, 2012 7:46 pm
basically when comparison between quantities involving units is involved less than is used even if it is a countable noun
Ankita
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 215
Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2008 4:24 pm
Thanked: 13 times
Followed by:1 members

by 1947 » Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:02 pm
nafiul9090 wrote:Since 1966, roughly 21 percent of those enlisted in the USMC had reached
an E-5 ranking in fewer than three years.

(A) had reached an E-5 ranking in fewer than three years
(B) have reached an E-5 ranking in less than three years
(C) have reached an E-5 ranking in under three years
(D) had reached an E-5 ranking in less than three years
(E) have reached an E-5 ranking in fewer than three years

guys any thought ??
since points that have is needed not had so B,C,E remain...out of these I will choose B....not sure why ?
If my post helped you- let me know by pushing the thanks button. Thanks
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 316
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:18 am
Thanked: 16 times
Followed by:6 members

by dhonu121 » Sun Jun 10, 2012 5:10 am
As per me, correct answer is E.
Not sure why Birottam beleives that less should be used instead of fewer.
Here three years is surely a countable entity and thus the use of fewer is justified.
In case of dollars, we say I have less than 3 dollars because saying
I have fewer than 3 dollars would indicate saying that I have literally fewer that 3, 1 dollar bills.
But here fewer than 3 years seems correct.
If you've liked my post, let me know by pressing the thanks button.
Top
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 641
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 1:15 am
Thanked: 149 times
Followed by:32 members
GMAT Score:760

by avik.ch » Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:11 pm
nafiul9090 wrote:Since 1966, roughly 21 percent of those enlisted in the USMC had reached
an E-5 ranking in fewer than three years.

(A) had reached an E-5 ranking in fewer than three years
(B) have reached an E-5 ranking in less than three years
(C) have reached an E-5 ranking in under three years
(D) had reached an E-5 ranking in less than three years
(E) have reached an E-5 ranking in fewer than three years

guys any thought ??
less : it can act as an adjective ( noun modifier), adverb( verb modifier ) and as a noun
lower/fewer : always act as an adjective

"in" being a preposition is always followed by a noun - Only B and D stands out.

Since X,....- present perfect tense should be used and not past perfect. "Since 1966" is an adverb of time for an events started in the past and still continuing.

Hope this helps !!
Top
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 934
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 5:16 am
Location: AAMCHI MUMBAI LOCAL
Thanked: 63 times
Followed by:14 members

by [email protected] » Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:03 am
Birottam Dutta!!! what he said is absolutely correct. The reason is that in choosing between the
countable and uncountable nouns, there are 4 exceptions, namely:
1. Time 2. Distance 3. Speed and 4. amount or money

This thing actually is given in the spidey's notes and the sahil's notes.

Kindly refer to them.

By the way thanks Birottam...
IT IS TIME TO BEAT THE GMAT

LEARNING, APPLICATION AND TIMING IS THE FACT OF GMAT AND LIFE AS WELL... KEEP PLAYING!!!

Whenever you feel that my post really helped you to learn something new, please press on the 'THANK' button.
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 316
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:18 am
Thanked: 16 times
Followed by:6 members

by dhonu121 » Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:22 am
Thanks for the reply.
Yes, there is more to it.
We use less/more with following countable quantities.
1.Time 2.Money and 3.Distance.
Confirmed here by Knewton https://www.beatthegmat.com/an-odd-st-t70077.html
If you've liked my post, let me know by pressing the thanks button.
Top
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 641
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 1:15 am
Thanked: 149 times
Followed by:32 members
GMAT Score:760

by avik.ch » Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:08 pm
I do not think there is any point in looking at the countable and uncountable quantities here. This difference comes only when "less" and "fewer" both acts as an adjective.

Here, "less" is clearly taking the noun slot - the object of the preposition and so "fewer" cant be used.

Considering some good example stated above :

I have less money now than I had a month back. - since "less" is an adjective. here the concept of countable and uncountable will come.

But, in this example

Their marriage lasted less than two years.

here "less than two year" is an adverb of time and hence "less" should be used and not "fewer".


Hope this helps !!
Top
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1