Even though the direct costs of malpractice disputes amounts to a sum

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-


Choice A: In Option A, we see a subject-verb disagreement between "amounts" and "a sum". Thus, Option A is incorrect.

Choice B: Option B displays the same flaw that Option A does. Thus, Option B is incorrect.

Choice C: Option C maintains correct idiomatic usage and subject-verb agreement. Thus, Option C is correct.

Choice D: In Option D, the sentence compares two amounts. As "amount" is uncountable, the correct adjective to use here is "less" rather than "lower'. Thus, Option D is incorrect.

Choice E: In Option E, using both "amounted to" and "sum" is redundant; when the verb “amounted to” is used, it is understood that that the end result will be a sum. Thus, E is not a good answer choice.

Hence, C is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of “Collective, Countable, and Uncountable nouns on GMAT”, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

thank u
OA is C

yes uncountable -> less /more
measurable in units or countable lower higher

this year,profit of the company is less than 10%

this year profit of the company equals to a sum lower than 10%

I hope this is the funda

Good tip here:

https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcom ... d_less.htm

Even better tips:

https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcom ... index.html

here direct costs is plural, so any thing singular such as " a lower sum" , " a sum less" or " a sum lower" should not come.

past tense 'amounted' is needed.
amount and sum is redundant

'cost' is uncountable - hence less not lower

They're talking abt the past so -- amounted
Can't quantify 'amount' so it's 'less than' and not 'lower than'
Usage example 1: The water level is lower than expected
Example 2: The amount is far less than expected

(A) amounts to a sum lower
1. PRONOUN NUMBER AGREEMENT ERROR. The subject "direct costs" is plural so it requires a plural verb and NOT the singular verb "amounts".
2. TENSE ERROR - Also, as per the context of the sentence, usage of the simple past tense will make more sense. As the usage of simple present tense sounds as if it is a general fact that the direct costs always in general amount to a sum lower than one percent of the $541 billion the nation spent on the health care. That is not the intended meaning. Also, the time marker -- "last year" clearly specifies the use of past tense. INCORRECT

(B) amounts to less
Similar errors as in choice A. INCORRECT

(C) amounted to less
Here, the verb tense error is resolved. Also, the usage of LESS is correct here. CORRECT.

(D) amounted to lower
Usage of LOWER is incorrect here. INCORRECT.

(E) amounted to a lower sum
This would be correct if we swap the position of sum with lower. That is,
amounted to a sum lower

Hi Varun,
Why lower than is wrong here.Less is used to refer to something that is not countable: John has less ice cream than Mary has. But we can't say John has a less amount of ice cream. Words such as amount, sum, and total require an -er word. We need to say: John has a smaller amount of ice cream than Mary has.

We have an official question - Here, lower than is correct

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

Hi sunny91,

For the official question, following is the explanation,

"Less" compares amounts or extents:
There is less wine in my glass than in yours.
I find smokers less attractive than non-smokers.

"Lower" compares two numbers or measurements:
The level of wine in the bottle got steadily lower.
The number of smokers is lower than the number of non-smokers.

In this official question, we're comparing sums(actually the numbers), so "lower" is appropriate.

Now, coming to the question in hand,
(C) amounted to less
The usage of LESS is correct here as I have already mentioned LESS compares amounts or extents. ALSO, if you see the later non-underlined part of the sentence, that is --
less than one percent of the $541 billion the nation spent on health care....
Here, "Less than X%" is idiomatic. This is the correct usage.

(D) amounted to lower
Usage of LOWER is incorrect here. Lower is used for COUNTABLEs. Also, amounted to sum lower than would have been a correct construction here. As LOWER compares two numbers or measurements.
ALSO, the construction "LOWER than X%" is unidiomatic.

ONE more important difference to note between the LESS and LOWER is,
'less' can be both an adjective and an adverb whereas 'lower' is always an adjective.

Hope that clears your query.

Thanks.
-aceGMAT21

I do not see a problem with "lower than" in this case. "Lower than" can be used to compare two numerical values. The following explanation from Manhattan SC guide would clarify the concept:

"The words more and less are rather flexible. They can be used as nouns (or pronouns), adjectives, or
adverbs.
Right: I own MORE THAN I should. (;more = noun or pronoun)
Right: I own MORE SHIRTS THAN I should. {more = adjective)
Right: I sleep MORE THAN I should. (more - adverb)
In numerical comparisons, the words high and low, as well as higher and lower, should only be used as
adjectives.
Right: My bills are LOWER than they were last year.
Wrong: I spend LOWER than I did last year.
Right: I spend LESS than I did last year."

In option A, the part "lower than..." is correctly used as an adjective for the word "sum", a numerical value.

Thankyou so much GMATNinja ..i really like your explanation!!

You mean to say that we are using less than 50 dollar to compare dollar as a non-countable unit.
If we say fewer than 50 dollars , we are counting the notes of dollar which are 50 in number

Let me know if i am missing anything!

Exactly - if I have $47.65, then I have less than $50, as the value of money doesn't have to be in integer form.

But if I have 47 dollar bills, then I have fewer than 50 dollar bills, as the number of bills can only be expressed as an integer.

Nice work! And if you really want more on countable vs. non-countable modifiers, here's an excessive video on the topic.

GMATNinja
So, can I say the following?
2 (integer) is fewer than 5.
or,
2.5 (fraction) is less than 5.

Hello TheUltimateWinner,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, when referring to the numbers, themselves, the appropriate usage is "less/more than"

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team

Could you please explain concept of lower than. When can it be used? Why is it wrong in option D when costs is countable?

I am confused between C and D.

If B was "amount to less" would that be correct? Does amount have to be past tense in this question? GMATNinja

Hello yalembagrad,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the sentence specifies that the relevant action happened "last year", so the verb must, indeed, be in the past tense.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team