When drive-ins were at the height of their popularity in the late 1950

This one can actually be an easy one if you know what to look for. This sentence correction problem tests your knowledge of when to use AMOUNT and LESS/FEWER.

These are the key principles you need to know to get the right answer

[*]AMOUNT - only used to describe objects that CAN'T be counted. For example: Bravery, charisma, and water
[*]NUMBER - used to describe objects that CAN be counted. For example: Cars in the parking lot, puppies in the pound, and zits on my pubescent face

[*]LESS - used to describe objects that can't be counted
[*]FEWER - used to describe objects that can be counted

A weird tip I use is to remember is reciting in my head "There is less air," after all you would never say "There is fewer air."

Now with that out of the way, lets proceed to break this bad boy down.

A. there are less than one-quarter that many

When drive-ins were at the height of their popularity in the late 1950's, some 4,000 existed in the United States, but today there are less than one-quarter that many.


A. there are less than one-quarter that many
Immediately you should know A is wrong. "Drive-ins" are countable and thus should use the word "fewer"


B. there are fewer than one-quarter as many


C. there are fewer than one-quarter of that amount
"Drive-in" is countable and thus should use the word "number" instead, not amount.

D. the number is less than one-quarter the amount
Same as C. We also should not use "less"

E. it is less than one-quarter of that amount
Same as D.

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Concepts tested here: Idioms + Awkwardness/Redundancy

A: This answer choice incorrectly uses the term "less" to refer to the countable noun "drive-ins"; please remember, “few”/”a few” are exclusively used to refer to plural nouns and countable nouns, and “less”/”a little” are exclusively used to refer to singular nouns and uncountable nouns.

B: Correct. This answer choice correctly uses the term "fewer" to refer to the countable noun "drive-ins". Further, Option B avoids the idiom error seen in Options C, D, and E, as it does not use the term amount". Additionally, Option B is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.

C: Trap. This answer choice incorrectly uses the term "amount" to refer to the countable noun "drive-ins"; for a noun such as “drive ins”, the appropriate equivalent term is “number”. Further, Option C uses the needlessly wordy phrase "one-quarter of that amount", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

D: This answer choice incorrectly uses the term "less" to refer to the countable noun "drive-ins"; please remember, “few”/”a few” are exclusively used to refer to plural nouns and countable nouns, and “less”/”a little” are exclusively used to refer to singular nouns and uncountable nouns. Further, Option D incorrectly uses the term "amount" to refer to the countable noun "drive-ins"; for a noun such as “drive ins”, the appropriate equivalent term is “number”. Additionally, Option D uses the needlessly wordy phrase "one-quarter the amount", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

E: This answer choice incorrectly uses the term "less" to refer to the countable noun "drive-ins"; please remember, “few”/”a few” are exclusively used to refer to plural nouns and countable nouns, and “less”/”a little” are exclusively used to refer to singular nouns and uncountable nouns. Further, Option E incorrectly uses the term "amount" to refer to the countable noun "drive-ins"; for a noun such as “drive ins”, the appropriate equivalent term is “number”.

Hence, B is the best answer choice.

All the best!
Experts' Global Team

drive-ins can be counted, so we refer to the as "the number", not "the amount". I also think B

Can someone explain B and C. Thanks!

When drive-ins were at the height of their popularity in the late 1950’s, some 4,000 existed in the United States, but today there are less than one-quarter that many.

B. there are fewer than one-quarter as many
C. there are fewer than one-quarter of that amount

drive-ins: countable

amount is used for non countable hence wrong.

option C: there are fewer than one-quarter as many(drive-ins as there were at the height of their popularity in the late 1950s)
HIGHLITED PART IS NOT REQUIRED.

When drive-ins were at the height of their popularity in the late 1950’s, some 4,000 existed in the United States, but today there are less than one-quarter that many.

A. there are less than one-quarter that many
B. there are fewer than one-quarter as many
C. there are fewer than one-quarter of that amount
D. the number is less than one-quarter the amount
E. it is less than one-quarter of that amount

One point o confusion which may arise sometime is

one-quarter of X , 10% of X, etc.
here sometimes , you start thinking the we are to choose between less/few on basis of one-quarter/10% which are non countable.
but it s always about X.

here drive-ins are countable - hence Fewer -- options A, D,E are out

amount is used for non countable thing - hence C is out

correct B

Hope it helps
Kudos please if you like the post

Still confused between B and C.
Can someone please explain B? ''as many'' is sort of confusing me.

Thanks for your answer !

Here it has to be "fewer" since the object is countable (drive-ins), so A, D, E are eliminated.

But, can you please explain me why C is eliminated ?

Hi,

C is wrong because of use of 'amount'..
Amount is used to talk of uncountable nouns... example-- amount of water , amount of love etc
and drive-ins are countable

When drive-ins were at the height of their popularity in the late 1950's, some 4,000 existed in the United States, but today there are less than one-quarter that many

There are two very easy decision point here to take into consideration.
4000 is a number, (the number of some object - in this case the number of drive-in)
Number is countable. We use few for countable objects.
Number is countable. We cannot use "less" and "amount" for countable objects. "Amount" is used for uncountable nouns.


A. there are less than one-quarter that many :-
Wrong :-Less is incorrect

B. there are fewer than one-quarter as many. Correct.
Correct:- Avoids using less and amount.

C. there are fewer than one-quarter of that amount.
Wrong:- Fewer is correct but amount is wrong

D. the number is less than one-quarter the amount.
Wrong:- less and amount are both wrong

E. it is less than one-quarter of that amount.
Wrong:-less and amount are both wrong

hi all,
although i got the answer as B but can someone explain what does as many refers in option B to me it should be of that not as many

kindly explain

Hello nks2611,


You ask a good question.

The term as many stands for any number used in a sentence in which this phrase has been used.

In Choice B, as many = 4,000 because that is the number that has been used in this official sentence.

The meaning conveyed by Choice B is that now, only a quarter of as many (4000) drive-ins exist in the United States.


Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

When drive-ins were at the height of their popularity in the late 1950's, some 4,000 existed in the United States, but today there are less than one-quarter that many.

A. there are less than one-quarter that many ===> Usage of "less" is incorrect as the subject "drive-ins" is countable
B. there are fewer than one-quarter as many ==> CORRECT - Usage of "as many" is correct in English and in GMAT
C. there are fewer than one-quarter of that amount ===> Usage of "amount" is incorrect as "amount" is only used for non-countable nouns and "Drive-ins"
is countable
D. the number is less than one-quarter the amount ===> Usage of "less" is incorrect as the subject "drive-ins" is countable
E. it is less than one-quarter of that amount ===> Usage of "less" is incorrect as the subject "drive-ins" is countable

This is really an interesting question!

Hence, Answer is B

Did you like the answer? Hit Kudos

When drive-ins were at the height of their popularity in the late 1950???s, some 4,000 existed in the United States, but today "there are fewer than one-quarter of that amount"

In addition to the numerous faults already mentioned in the comments, I wanted to know if use of "that" is correct in the above sentence.

aniket16c , to avoid confusing anyone, let's clarify that
you are asking about the demonstrative pronoun that in incorrect option C.

The full sentence with correct option B is in the quote above.

(C) there are fewer than one-quarter of that amount

Are you asking whether you could eliminate this option because it uses that amount and in particular that amount?
No. I am not quite sure what underlies your unease about the word that.

If (C) were to be written this way

there are fewer than one-quarter of that number

then it would be correct. The construction is awkward, but not wrong.
that number would refer to 4,000.

The problem with that amount is amount, not the word that.

Here is a similar correct example:
He would not share any of his 50 marbles with her, even though she possessed fewer than half that number.

Hope that helps.


BTW, did you insert question marks [1950???s] because you are frustrated that the decade is pluralized with an apostrophe + s? If so:
(1) the GMAT will never test the issue;
(2) you are safest in your own essays if you write 1950s (no apostrophe).
In my professional editing work and my own writing, I follow Chicago, MLA, and AP, to name a few style guides, all of which do not use of an apostrophe to pluralize a decade.
That convention is more established in the U.S.: 1950s, not 1950's. On the other hand, The New York Times does use an apostrophe to pluralize.
(3) This question comes from GMAT Prep. It's official. Apparently the authors follow the New York Times and a couple of other guidelines.

1. Thank you for the explanation. Sorry, I did not articulate my question properly.
Normally while checking the use of "that", I substitute the object which "that" is referring to.

In the option I have mentioned, "that" refers to "4000 number". So substituting "4000 / 4000 number" in place of "that" will completely distort the sentence structure.

2. Thank you for the explanation provided for use of apostrophe.
I believe the question marks were a typing or copying error. Even then extra information is also helpful. Thank you.

aniket16c
I think you might be a little mixed up.

In the phrase "that number," that is not a pronoun.

THAT in this instance is a demonstrative adjective or a determiner, not a pronoun.

A demonstrative adjective cannot stand in for a noun;
it must be attached to a noun, such as the word number.

THAT number means "the number that was just mentioned in the sentence."

Demonstrative adjectives:
This house [with a red door], those candies [in the box on the table],
that number [of drive-in theaters, a number that was just mentioned].

You cannot substitute a noun in for an adjective or an article.
HERE is a site
that discusses
the difference between demonstrative pronouns, which include THAT,
and demonstrative adjectives, which also include THAT.

These things are also known as demonstrative articles, determiners, demonstrative determiners
What they are called does not matter.

They are not substitute nouns. They point to nouns.

Hope that helps.