Choose the most appropriate combination of words to complete the given sentence:
Back in ______ days, there were ______ cars on our street than there are now, so the boys played cricket on it till dark.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → those / fewer
Complete sentence: Back in those days, there were fewer cars on our street than there are now, so the boys played cricket on it till dark. “Days” is plural and the sentence is about the past (“there were”). “Cars” can be counted.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) those / fewer (answer) | those: with plural nouns for things far away in place or time; fewer: a smaller number, with countable plural nouns | In those days, fewer buses came to our village. |
| (2) these / less | these: for things near us in place or time, but the sentence is about the past; less: with uncountable nouns, not with “cars” | These days, most people pay by phone. |
| (3) that / fewer | that: with a singular noun, but “days” is plural | That bus goes to Charminar. |
| (4) those / less | less: with uncountable nouns (less water, less time), not with plural nouns like “cars” | There was less traffic on the road during the lockdown. |