Choose the most appropriate combination of words to complete the given sentence:
Our family hardly bought ______ crackers this Diwali, so there was ______ smoke on our terrace than last year.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → any / less
Complete sentence: Our family hardly bought any crackers this Diwali, so there was less smoke on our terrace than last year. “Hardly” gives the sentence a negative sense, and “smoke” cannot be counted.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) some / fewer | some: in positive sentences, not after “hardly”; fewer: with countable plural nouns, not with “smoke” | Papa bought some sweets for the guests. |
| (2) any / fewer | fewer: a smaller number, with countable plural nouns | This year fewer students took the bus to school. |
| (3) any / less (answer) | any: in negative sentences; less: a smaller amount, with uncountable nouns | We did not buy any new clothes, so we spent less money this year. |
| (4) no / less | “hardly” is already negative, so “no” after it makes a double negative | There are no crackers left in the shop. |