Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 11:29 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 11:29
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
vikram4689
User avatar
Joined: 30 Jun 2011
Last visit: 26 Feb 2014
Posts: 160
Own Kudos:
298
 [1]
Given Kudos: 20
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Darden '15 (S) Johnson '15 (S) LBS '14 (S) Duke '15 Yale '15 Tuck '16
Posts: 160
Kudos: 298
 [1]
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet 12 May 2012, 09:29
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet printers" modifies in each sentence
a)CLP-300 laserjet printer emits only 43 decibels of noise far less than most other laserjet printers
b)CLP-300 laserjet printer emits only 43 decibels of noise, far less than most other laserjet printers

In addition, would it be incorrect to replace "less" with "quieter" in above sentences

Archived Topic
Hi there,
This topic has been closed and archived due to inactivity or violation of community quality standards. No more replies are possible here.
Where to now? Join ongoing discussions on thousands of quality questions in our Verbal Questions Forum
Still interested in this question? Check out the "Best Topics" block below for a better discussion on this exact question, as well as several more related questions.
Thank you for understanding, and happy exploring!
User avatar
saikarthikreddy
User avatar
Joined: 19 Apr 2011
Last visit: 14 Feb 2022
Posts: 128
Own Kudos:
1,037
Given Kudos: 53
Concentration: Finance,Entrepreneurship,General Management
Schools: Carlson '16 (I) Kelley '16 (I) Tuck '16 (D) Darden '24 (II)
GMAT 1: 720 Q49 V38
GRE 1: Q167 V167
Posts: 128
Kudos: 1,037
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet 14 May 2012, 11:56
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
can someone explain this concept ..I have a doubt too !!
avatar
harshavmrg
avatar
Joined: 25 Feb 2010
Last visit: 06 Dec 2012
Posts: 103
Own Kudos:
286
 [1]
Given Kudos: 16
Status:I will not stop until i realise my goal which is my dream too
Schools: Johnson '15
Schools: Johnson '15
Posts: 103
Kudos: 286
 [1]
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet 22 May 2012, 21:35
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
vikram4689
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet printers" modifies in each sentence
a)CLP-300 laserjet printer emits only 43 decibels of noise far less than most other laserjet printers
b)CLP-300 laserjet printer emits only 43 decibels of noise, far less than most other laserjet printers

In addition, would it be incorrect to replace "less" with "quieter" in above sentences
Show more


i would try to explain what i have understood from the above sentences

A: a emits 45db less than all others
for ex A: 90B, say some other is 135DB...so we are saying 135-90=45DB less
B: a emits 45db, less than all others
here we say A:45DB, others 50DB, 60DB, 70DB...so A is 45DB less than all others..

hope my understanding is correct here....
User avatar
Vishwa25
User avatar
Joined: 27 Aug 2012
Last visit: 11 Mar 2016
Posts: 24
Own Kudos:
30
Given Kudos: 6
Status:That which doesn't break me, makes me stronger.
Location: India
Concentration: Economics
Schools: IESE '18 (S)
GMAT 1: 710 Q49 V37
GPA: 3.33
WE:Project Management (Consulting)
Schools: IESE '18 (S)
GMAT 1: 710 Q49 V37
Posts: 24
Kudos: 30
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet 29 Aug 2012, 10:31
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
vikram4689
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet printers" modifies in each sentence
a)CLP-300 laserjet printer emits only 43 decibels of noise far less than most other laserjet printers
b)CLP-300 laserjet printer emits only 43 decibels of noise, far less than most other laserjet printers

In addition, would it be incorrect to replace "less" with "quieter" in above sentences
Show more

Good one! Here is what I think:

Let's take an example:
a) Land Rover gives only 5 miles of mileage far less than most other cars. Here it seems that "far less than most" modifies the verb "gives" which is in the simple present tense form. This would mean that land rover gives only (one attribute) 15 mpg (instead of say 20 mpg) it doesn't give you anything (no other attributes) else such as comfort, pleasure, thrill, etc., that is far less than the features offered by a BMW.

b) Land Rover gives only 5 miles of mileage, far less than most other cars. Over here the adjective phrase "far less... " modifies the noun mileage. This statement would mean that we are comparing mileage of Land Rover with mileage of most other cars.
User avatar
lotus
User avatar
Joined: 02 Jul 2009
Last visit: 10 Sep 2012
Posts: 25
Own Kudos:
71
Given Kudos: 7
Posts: 25
Kudos: 71
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet 03 Sep 2012, 16:41
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
In a, there should be ‘which is’ before far less in order to describe the noise
In b, since there is a comma before far less, it is correctly describing noise
Quieter is not correct in this context as it is referring to 43 decibels of noise
User avatar
piealpha
User avatar
Joined: 17 Oct 2012
Last visit: 15 Jan 2014
Posts: 12
Own Kudos:
4
Given Kudos: 1
Posts: 12
Kudos: 4
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet 24 Nov 2013, 14:40
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Let us assume that other printers emit X db of noise.
a] CLP-300 emits only X-43 db of noise.
b] CLP-300 emits only 43 db of noise, which can be anything less than X db that is emitted by other printers.

please correct me, if I am wrong.
User avatar
aviram
User avatar
Joined: 27 Jun 2014
Last visit: 09 Feb 2016
Posts: 59
Own Kudos:
119
 [1]
Given Kudos: 125
Location: New Zealand
Concentration: Strategy, General Management
GMAT 1: 710 Q43 V45
GRE 1: Q161 V163
GRE 2: Q159 V166
GPA: 3.6
WE:Editorial and Writing (Computer Software)
GMAT 1: 710 Q43 V45
GRE 1: Q161 V163
GRE 2: Q159 V166
Posts: 59
Kudos: 119
 [1]
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet 05 Feb 2015, 23:53
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
vikram4689
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet printers" modifies in each sentence
a)CLP-300 laserjet printer emits only 43 decibels of noise far less than most other laserjet printers
b)CLP-300 laserjet printer emits only 43 decibels of noise, far less than most other laserjet printers

In addition, would it be incorrect to replace "less" with "quieter" in above sentences
Show more

Sentence A is unclear because of the lack of comma, which makes it possible to be construed as if the printer emits 43 decibels of noise far less than most other printers. The idea is that the emission of 43 decibels is lesser than the emission of other printers. Sentence B correctly places the comma that indicates that far less modifies 43 decibels of noise.

If you change less to quieter, the sentence won't work, because the current sentence says that 43 decibels is far less that other printers (sound emission). However, changing this to far quieter wouldn't work because either you say that the emission of 43 decibels is far quieter, or that the printer is far quieter. For example:

CLP-300 laserjet printer emits only 43 decibels of noise, which makes it far quieter than most other laserjet printers
or
CLP-300 laserjet printer, which emits only 43 decibels of noise, is far quiter than most other laserjet printers
User avatar
chetan2u
User avatar
GMAT Expert
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Last visit: 15 Nov 2025
Posts: 11,238
Own Kudos:
43,704
 [1]
Given Kudos: 335
Status:Math and DI Expert
Location: India
Concentration: Human Resources, General Management
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Products:
My Reviews
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Posts: 11,238
Kudos: 43,704
 [1]
What does modifier "far less than most other laserjet 07 Feb 2015, 08:34
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
aviram


Sentence A is unclear because of the lack of comma, which makes it possible to be construed as if the printer emits 43 decibels of noise far less than most other printers. The idea is that the emission of 43 decibels is lesser than the emission of other printers. Sentence B correctly places the comma that indicates that far less modifies 43 decibels of noise.

If you change less to quieter, the sentence won't work, because the current sentence says that 43 decibels is far less that other printers (sound emission). However, changing this to far quieter wouldn't work because either you say that the emission of 43 decibels is far quieter, or that the printer is far quieter. For example:

CLP-300 laserjet printer emits only 43 decibels of noise, which makes it far quieter than most other laserjet printers
or
CLP-300 laserjet printer, which emits only 43 decibels of noise, is far quiter than most other laserjet printers
Show more

hi aviram,
you are correct in your explanation. just two points..
1) firstly, less is proper because we are talking of number and quieter is appropriate for the printer as also told by you..
2) just an observation on one of the sentence "CLP-300 laserjet printer emits only 43 decibels of noise, which makes it far quieter than most other laserjet printers"... here 'which' modifies noise, whereas it should be modifying printer. if you replace 'which makes' with 'making ' it will be more appropriate.

Archived Topic
Hi there,
This topic has been closed and archived due to inactivity or violation of community quality standards. No more replies are possible here.
Where to now? Join ongoing discussions on thousands of quality questions in our Verbal Questions Forum
Still interested in this question? Check out the "Best Topics" block above for a better discussion on this exact question, as well as several more related questions.
Thank you for understanding, and happy exploring!
Moderators:
miag
189 posts
u1983
Current Student
710 posts
MikeScarn
Current Student
275 posts