Less than or fewer than
Less than or fewer than
(OP)
English speakers, please help in telling me what are the style rules in using either of both expressions. Thanks.
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Less than or fewer than
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Less than or fewer thanLess than or fewer than(OP)
English speakers, please help in telling me what are the style rules in using either of both expressions. Thanks.
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RE: Less than or fewer than
Less than = smaller amount
Fewer than = smaller number
Good Luck
johnwm
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RE: Less than or fewer than
Just as I was typing that, one example popped in: "The number of xxx is fewer than the number of yyy."
Other than that, I think you'd generally say "fewer of" instead of "fewer than."
RE: Less than or fewer than
TTFN
RE: Less than or fewer than
In other words, less than used for measured quantities, and fewer than for individual items or people ? Thanks.
RE: Less than or fewer than
Use fewer when the noun is something that can be quantified.
Use less when the noun is something abstract, or that cannot be counted.
"Recently I have been working overtime, so I have had less time to spend with my family."
"Since starting my new job, I spend twenty fewer minutes each day commuting."
"I have been going to the strip bar recently, so I have fewer dollar bills in my wallet. My wife wonders why I have less money."
Of course, as frequently occurs in English, there are exceptions.
"Provide your reply in 25 words or less."
Less can also be used as an adverb:
"I was less happy with my vacation this year than I was last year because I had fewer days to spend on the beach."
RE: Less than or fewer than
"Of course, as frequently occurs in English, there are exceptions.
'Provide your reply in 25 words or less.'"
Although, I must say that I use it in that manner, myself.
I know that Meijer(grocery) stores changed the signs for their express aisles from "12 items or less" to "12 items or fewer. Apparently they actually had complaints from some customers. Some people couldn't let it slide. Haha, who knew?
-Jeff
RE: Less than or fewer than
Quote: "usage...Less is more likely than fewer to modify plural nouns when distances, sums of money, and a few fixed phrases are involved [less than 100 miles] [and investment of less than $2000] [in 25 words or less] and as likely as fewer to modify periods of time [(in less (or fewer) than four hours]." Unquote.
It seems MintJulep is right after all.
RE: Less than or fewer than
If you check the archives, you will see that I actually started a thread some time ago noting that grocery store express lanes should be "..or fewer."