Comments on: Word Pairs: Fewer vs. Less

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:14:58 +0000

Perhaps the biggest challenge in grammar is the way language is constantly evolving. The good news is that it gives us wiggle room. The bad news is that it creates a lot of confusion.

By: Marelisa

Marelisa — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:20:12 +0000

I try to double-check grammar rules when writing my blog posts because the last thing I want to do is add to all the bad grammar that there is out there. The other day I used the word “funner” in a sentence when talking to my sister and she asked me whether “funner” is a proper word. I looked it up and apparently through common usage it has become acceptable. On the one hand,language needs to evolve, but on the other hand, I hope we don’t gradually destroy grammar rules through inadequate usage.
Marelisa´s last blog ..Freedom, Nonconformity, and Unconventional Living

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:10:15 +0000

I agree, that’s why it pays to pay attention to the details!

By: Danielle Ingram

Danielle Ingram — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:41:20 +0000

Seems so straight forward but in fact using the correct or incorrect words in particular places can really affect your writing and what people think of it when they read it, whether it be a formal letter or a novel.

By: Kelvin Kao

Kelvin Kao — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:52:50 +0000

We are counting on you to be accountable for countability!

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:50:41 +0000

Yes, I think that when choosing between fewer and less, it’s all about countability. That would be correct

By: J.D. Meier

J.D. Meier — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:24:09 +0000

I like your precise distinction … “countability.”

I also like the fact you asked which is correct. One of my teachers was a stickler on distinguishing between correct and right, where correct was accurate, while right was a moral term.
J.D. Meier´s last blog ..Likeability is a Skill

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:23:46 +0000

Thanks for visiting and commenting Clella! We all need to brush up every now and then.

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:23:12 +0000

Kelvin, you make a very astute observation regarding “more or less.” I hadn’t thought of that!

I believe that the correct way would actually be “less people” and “fewer persons,” but I’m not 100% sure. As for “less than three,” it might be “fewer than three,” depending on what is being counted. Me? I would say “less than three people” and “fewer than three persons.” That’s my take on this. For the coffee – it would be “fewer than three cups of coffee” because the cups are being counted, not the coffee (the cups just happen to contain coffee).

Jealous and envious… hmm, I’ll have to think about that. Hehehe.

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:19:02 +0000

That’s why I post these little refreshers. We can all use them! I’m always double-checking and looking up the rules. It’s a good practice. Of course, I might turn around and break those rules…

By: clella camp

clella camp — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:26:10 +0000

I, too, taught secondary English for years, but still need to check some of these words for proper usuage at times. Thank you for this post. Blessings Clella
clella camp´s last blog ..GOD BLESS AMERICA

By: Kelvin Kao

Kelvin Kao — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:57:24 +0000

Haha, oh yes, fewer and less. I know the difference for the most part, but sometimes it actually feels weird to use “fewer” correctly when most people just use “less” for everything. I think the confusion comes from the fact that we only have one word for “more”, and from the phrase “more or less”, we sort of gather that the opposite of “more” is “less” and totally forgot about “fewer”.

The only problem with these two words is when there are numbers associated. We say “fewer people” and we say “less than three”. So do we say “fewer than three people” or “less than three people”? Similarly, we say “less coffee” and “fewer cups”. Do we say “fewer than three cups of coffee” or “less than three cups of coffee”?

I think you should write about “jealous” and “envious” sometime. =)