(A) little water or services exist
(B) little water or services exists
(C) few services and little water exists
(D) there is little water or services available
(E) there are few services and little available water
Solution:
Subject-verb*
A is wrong as ‘little’ cannot be used for ‘services’.
B repeats the mistake in A.
C is wrong as ‘exists’, a singular verb, cannot refer to compound noun “few services and little water”
D repeats the mistake in A.
E is the best choice.
OG Solution:
The adjective little modifies "mass nouns" (e.g., water), which refer to some undifferentiated quantity; the adjective few modifies "count nouns" (e.g., services), which refer to groups made up of distinct members that can be considered individually. Hence, choices A, B, and D are incorrect because little cannot properly modify services. Also, since water and services are being discussed as a pair, they should logically be treated as a compound subject requiring a plural verb; thus, the singular verbs exists (in B and C) and is (in D) are wrong. Choice E is best: the plural verb are is used, and few correctly modifies services.
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