The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Fewer calories than the leading brand
The original phrase, “Less calories then the leading brand,” contains two common grammatical errors that affect its clarity and correctness. The corrected phrase is “Fewer calories than the leading brand.”
The first error is the use of “less” instead of “fewer.” In English grammar, the choice between these two words depends on whether the noun they modify is countable or uncountable. “Fewer” is used for countable nouns, which are items that can be counted as individual units. “Calories” are countable units of energy, so one can have one calorie, ten calories, or a hundred calories. Therefore, the correct word to use is “fewer.” The word “less,” by contrast, is used for uncountable or mass nouns, which refer to substances or concepts that cannot be counted individually, such as “sugar,” “water,” or “time.” For example, it is correct to say “fewer apples” but “less fruit juice.”
The second error is the misuse of “then” in place of “than.” These two words are often confused, but they have distinct meanings and functions. “Than” is a conjunction used to make a comparison between two or more things. The phrase in the image is comparing the calorie content of one product to that of “the leading brand,” so “than” is the appropriate word to use. For example, “This car is faster than that one.” On the other hand, “then” is an adverb that typically refers to a point in time or a sequence of events. For instance, you might say, “I went to the store, and then I came home.” Using “then” in a comparative context is incorrect, as it fails to establish the relationship of comparison. By correcting these two mistakes, the phrase becomes grammatically sound and effectively communicates its intended message.
