Adjectives : Common Errors(4)

Less, Fewer

21. (W) They have less books than I have.

(R) They have fewer books than I have.

Note:- “Less” denotes amount, quantity, value or degree; “fewer” denotes

number.

Thus, we may have less water, less food, less money, less education; but fewer books,

fewer letters, fewer friends.

22. (W) She came to school latter than I.

(R) She came to school later than I.

Note:- “Later” refers to time, “Latter” refers to order and means the second of two

things just mentioned; as

Alexandria and Cairo are large cities; the latter has a population of over a million.

Note:- The opposite of ‘latter’ is ‘former’.

23. (W) This sari is the best of the two.

(R) This sari is the better of the two.

Note:- The superlative form should not be used with reference to two things or

persons. Here the comparative form should be used.

24. (W) Kolkata is bigger than any city in India.

(R) Kolkata is bigger than any other city in India.

Note:- We should not compare a noun to itself.

Kolkata is one of the cities in India.

Any city refers to Kolkata, too. It cannot be larger than itself.

25. (W) The climate of Mysore is better than Hyderabad.

(R) The climate of Mysore is better than that of Hyderabad.

Note:- We should not compare two nouns that cannot be compared.

26. (W) He is senior than my brother.

(R) He is senior to my brother.

Note:- The Latin comparatives, superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, are

followed by to, not than.

27. (W) This book is more preferable than that one.

(R) This book is preferable to that one.

Note:- The word “preferable” cannot be modified by more or most, and is followed

by to, not than.

28. (W) He brought pencil, rubber and paper, the latter being foolscap.

(R) He brought pencil, rubber and paper, the last being foolscap.

Note:- “Latter” is used only where two things are mentioned.