Comments on: Grammar 101: Less Is Not Fewer

By: Jill

Jill — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:26:10 +0000

I was delighted to find this write-up. I have actually started a list of “advertising” offenders. You can add TNT TV “less commercials,” and BMW auto “less emissions” ti your list.

I also hear newscasters use it (along with “amount” when “number” is correct) and have seen it in expensive, serious books “less imports.”

The advertisers started it with “less fat, less calories” some years back. But really, doesn’t anyone take English anymore?

I find it annoying.

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:58:01 +0000

I have been fighting the less v. fewer battle for years. Here is a suggestion for all of the idiots who do not see that “less” is wrong, “As Many As 12 Items”.

By: What’s Up Wednesdays: Fun, Photos, and Phrases || Beyond the Rhetoric ||

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:16:33 +0000

[...] phrases, as described by Oxford. Looks like some of these could serve as fodder for future Grammar 101 [...]

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:10:45 +0000

Hmmm, it certainly makes sense but at the same time it just sounds wierd to say “10 items or fewer” perhaps “10 or fewer items” would work better…another thought is putting more emphasis on the “or” part where the 10 items would be the maximum amount of business that would be acceptable there and the “less” would define any other acceptable amount of business :S

By: Anthony James Barnett - author

Anthony James Barnett - author — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:29:02 +0000

What an excellent post. I’ve ‘Stumbled’ it. Congratulations.

Anthony