Since the first part of the sentence uses the verb "rose", I would use the verb "did" in the underlined part.

If the sentence was:
The empl. costs were 15% in the year ending in the current quarter, 35% more than what they WERE in the year ending in the previous quarter.

However, with the verb "rose":
Employment costs rose 2.8 percent (in the 12 months that ended in September), slightly less than they DID in the year that ended in the previous quarter.

Again, I would use "WERE / WAS" if the sentence were saying:
The rise in Employment costs WAS 2.8 percent (in the 12 months that ended in September), slightly less than it WAS in the year that ended in the previous quarter.

- RD

you are right! the correct answer is A! 8) 8) good explanation

Can you please explain me when we will have to go for "lower than " and " less than " .....



Thanks
Senthil

Can you please explain me when we will have to go for "lower than " and " less than "

Employment costs rose 2.8 percent in the 12 months that ended in September, slightly less than they did in the year that ended in the previous quarter.

EX. The total population was less than it was a few years ago.

Ok, you use less than when you are talking about the quantity. (remember less than refers to non countable nouns)

In sentence, one and two, we are talking about employment cost decreasing and total population decreasing. (so we are talking about quantity decreasing). Notice that each sentence has only 1 subject.

You would use lower than when you are trying to compare two different things (usually refers to the ranking of subjects).

My verbal score on the gmat is lower than my math score. Here it has two subjects, math and verbal score. I hope this helps!

Hi

Can anyone pls explain thE above answer A with regard to use of tenses and use of THEY.

I have difficulty in understanding the concept of tenses here and use of THEY- why IT cannot be used.

All experts pls reply

IT cannot be used because subject "Employment COSTS" is plural...

wawatan wrote:Can you please explain me when we will have to go for "lower than " and " less than "

Employment costs rose 2.8 percent in the 12 months that ended in September, slightly less than they did in the year that ended in the previous quarter.

EX. The total population was less than it was a few years ago.

Ok, you use less than when you are talking about the quantity. (remember less than refers to non countable nouns)

In sentence, one and two, we are talking about employment cost decreasing and total population decreasing. (so we are talking about quantity decreasing). Notice that each sentence has only 1 subject.

You would use lower than when you are trying to compare two different things (usually refers to the ranking of subjects).

My verbal score on the gmat is lower than my math score. Here it has two subjects, math and verbal score. I hope this helps!

what wawatan said above let me get the differences between "lower than" and "less than". And I also have a question: if option D was "less than", would it be the answer even better than choice A? Because the subject and the predicate after "than" could be reduced if they are the same as those of the main-clause, "less than" would be much conciser.

wawatan wrote:70. Employment costs rose 2.8 percent in the 12 months that ended in September, slightly less than they did in the year that ended in the previous quarter.
A, less than they did
B, less than it did
C, less than they were
D, lower than
E, lower than they were

will post answer later

i can't choose b/w a and c.

Ok, Answer to the question is A.

B- Wrong because it uses "it" to refer to plural "costs. Pronoun error.
C- Wrong. We are talking about "rise of employment costs" Use of "were" is incorrect.
D and E- Wrong because they use "lower". "Employment costs" is a non countable noun. "Less" needs to be used.

Why is employment costs non countable here. Costs can be counted to be a certain number right?