The human body is susceptible to less illnesses, whether viral or

Susceptible to less illness VS Less Susceptible to illness

In the first one, less is modifying illness i.e. if earlier 5 illness used to happen then after exercising & taking appropriate nutrition, body is susceptible to 2 illness.

As per the second one, less is modifying susceptible i.e. if earlier 5 illness used to happen then after exercising the body is still susceptible to those 5 illness but the degree of susceptibility is less.

Hope it makes things clear.

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The human body is susceptible to less illnesses, whether viral or bacterial, when it receives appropriate nutrition and regular exercise.


(A) susceptible to less illnesses, whether viral or bacterial, when it receives appropriate nutrition and regular exercise

Incorrect.

This answer choice is grammatically incorrect. The article less can describe only non-count nouns whereas illnesses is a count noun.

What helps us identify this mistake is the following Stop Sign:

much, (a) little, less, the amount of

(B) susceptible to fewer illnesses, whether viral or bacterial, when it receives regular exercise and appropriate nutrition

This answer choice uses the correct article - fewer - to modify the count noun illnesses.


(C) fewer illness, whether viral or bacterial, when it receives suitable nutrition and regular exercise

Incorrect.

This answer choice repeats the original Parts of Speech mistake. The article fewer should be followed by a plural noun (i.e., fewer illnesses) whereas in this answer choice it is followed by the singular noun illness.



(D) less susceptible to illnesses, whether viral or bacterial, when it receives appropriate nutrition and regular exercise

Incorrect

Although this answer choice corrects the original Parts of Speech mistake, it changes the meaning of the original sentence. By moving the word less to modify the word susceptible, this answer choice claims the body's vulnerability to diseases is decreased when treated well, but the original sentence claimed it was vulnerable to a smaller number of different diseases.


(E) susceptible to fewer illnesses, whether viral or bacterial, when it receives regular exercise and nutrition appropriate to its need

Incorrect.

Although this answer choice corrects the original Parts of Speech mistake, it is stylistically flawed. Replacing the two-word phrase appropriate nutrition with the five-word phrase nutrition appropriate to its needs creates wordiness.

Hi Bunuel,

Does the original meaning matter in GMAT? For example, here, option D looks grammatically and logically correct when you consider it in a standalone context. isn't the original incorrect sentence in the question just another option? Do we need to look for options whose meanings are close to that of the sentence in the question?

No, the question is not an option until and unless it is fully underlined. Since, we cannot count the whole question as an alternative option, we have to figure out what perfectly suits logically as well as grammatically.

If you look closely, Option D changes meaning directly. We are concerned with susceptible to fewer illness (meaning: vulnerable to fewer illness)

Let's take one example:-

1.) He was deserving for most of the top B-schools in India.

2.) He was the most deserving for top B-schools in India.

Although, this both looks same but meaning has changed. First one gives emphasis to B-schools while second one gives emphasis to himself. Same is the case with the question.

Hope it helps.

Posted from my mobile device

I think, to make d option correct, we need to keep illness rather then illnesses. It doesn't look good if we say "the body is less susceptible to illnesses".

(A) susceptible to less illnesses, whether viral or bacterial, when it receives appropriate nutrition and regular exercise
less illness isn't the right usage therefore out

(B) susceptible to fewer illnesses, whether viral or bacterial, when it receives regular exercise and appropriate nutrition
The meaning is perfect therefore let us hang on to it

(C) fewer illness, whether viral or bacterial, when it receives suitable nutrition and regular exercise
human body is fewer illness doesn't make any sense therefore out

(D) less susceptible to illnesses, whether viral or bacterial, when it receives appropriate nutrition and regular exercise
Even though no noticeable difference the variation in meaning is subtle , however B conveys the meaning better therefore out

(E) susceptible to fewer illnesses, whether viral or bacterial, when it receives regular exercise and nutrition appropriate to its need
appropriate to it's need is redudant therefore out

Therefore IMO B