Due to the progress in the field of modern medicine and advances in nutrition and hygiene, less people die every year from infectious diseases then ever before.

Question

Due to the progress in the field of modern medicine and advances in nutrition and hygiene, less people die every year from infectious diseases then ever before. Option 1: fewer people die every year from infectious diseases then ever before. Option 2: less people die every year from infectious diseases then ever before. Option 3: fewer people die every year from infectious diseases than ever before. Option 4: every year, fewer people die from infectious diseases than have ever before.

AfterBoards · Accepted Answer

This question tests the distinction between "fewer/less" and "then/than" in comparative constructions. Use "fewer" with countable nouns (people, cars, books) and "less" with uncountable nouns (water, time, money). For comparisons, use "than" not "then" – think "greater than" in math class! Option 1 → Uses "fewer" correctly but "then" should be "than" for comparisons. Option 2 → Double trouble: "less" wrong for countable people, "then" wrong for comparisons. Option 3 → Perfect! "Fewer people" and "than ever before" both spot-on. Option 4 → Grammatically fine but unnecessarily wordy and slightly changes the meaning.

IPMAT Indore (VA) PYQs

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