Only seven people this century have been killed by the great white sha
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25 Nov 2023, 21:25
Only seven people this century have been killed by the great white shark, the man-eater of the movies—less than those killed by bee stings.
Option Elimination -
(A) movies—less than those - "less" refers to the countable "seven people" - wrong.
(B) movies—fewer than have been. When we say "fewer." What "fewer"? "the seven people." So, these seven people (who have been killed by the great white shark) are fewer than (the number of people who are killed by bee strings). "people" is implied as that's what we are comparing against.
usage of fewer -
Countable Nouns: "Fewer" should be used when comparing countable nouns, such as people, items, or objects that can be individually quantified. For example: "There are fewer books on the shelf than in the library."
Quantitative Comparison: "Fewer" indicates a lower quantity or number when directly comparing. It implies a decrease in countable units. For example: "She has fewer apples than he does."
"Fewer" vs. "Less": Remember that "fewer" is used for countable nouns, while "less" is used for uncountable nouns or quantities that cannot be individually counted. For example: "There is less water in the glass" (uncountable) versus "There are fewer glasses on the table" (countable).
Singular and Plural Agreement: "Fewer" maintains agreement with the noun it modifies. It is used with plural nouns, while "less" is used with singular nouns. For example: "Fewer cars are on the road" (plural) versus "Less time is available" (singular).
(C) movies, which is less than those - "which" refers to what? Movies? Can't as "is" is singular. Or "white shark" doesn't make sense. Wrong.
(D) movies, a number lower than the people - "a number compared with people." wrong.
(E) movies, fewer than the ones -
Refresher on the usage of "ones."
Plural Antecedent: "Ones" refers to plural antecedents, particularly when the specific nouns are already mentioned or implied in the context.
Example: "I bought three shirts, and the blue ones are my favorite." Here, "ones" refers to "shirts."
Selection from a Group: "Ones" refers to a particular selection or subset of items from a larger group.
Example: "Please bring me the red apples. The green ones are for the pie."
Gender-Neutral Reference: "Ones" can be used in a gender-neutral sense to avoid repetition or to maintain inclusivity.
Example: "The students who submitted their assignments early will receive extra credit, while the late ones will face a penalty."
There are two reasons the usage of "ones" in option E is wrong. When we use "fewer" and compare it against the "seven people," "people" is already implied. So, using "ones" again is redundant. Moreover, the "ones" "refers to the specific nouns that are already mentioned or implied in the context. So here it refers to "people." The sentence looks like - "Only seven people this century have been killed by the great white shark, fewer than the people." So we are comparing the "seven people" or the "the number" with the "people," which is wrong.