Grammar Rant: Less vs. Fewer
by Sky Kalkman
on Nov 29, 2008 4:34 PM EST
17 comments
Use fewer when referring to things that can be counted. Use less when referring to stuff that can't be broken down into smaller pieces. In general, people tend to misuse "less" where "fewer" should be used, but not the other way around.
Incorrect:
- Frank Thomas has stolen less bases than Jose Reyes.
Correct:
- Juan Pierre has fewer home runs than Adam Dunn.
- Juan Pierre has less power than Adam Dunn
Learn it. Love it. Use it.
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Sky, I never took you for a
grammar Gestapo. Keep your red pen away from my site. It used to be really embarrassing to go back and find a bunch of mistakes, but now I just shrug my shoulders and tell myself at least I tried. Meh.
Amaury translates into "Punisher of Spheroids" in the lost tongue of Atlantis. Marti means "Belgian Waffle." www.futureredbirds.net
by erik on
Nov 29, 2008 7:39 PM EST
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Skywriter Trailed By Skyeditor
---
Juuuust a bit outside!!
http://balkingtraditionalism.blogspot.com/
by jhmoore on
Nov 29, 2008 7:53 PM EST
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Less Grammar Posts!
;-) And don’t think you’re the only blog that has this conversation. I know we’ve had various grammar posts.
The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."
by WalrusMan on
Nov 29, 2008 8:14 PM EST
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What about the correct useage of “than and then” or “their, they’re, and there”?
“Of course this bed is of their own making, Depo didn’t have these non – performing contracts other then when Drew broke his wrist which I think is different then signing a pitcher who probably knew his shoulder was shot and had been pitching through pain for several years.”
by Dusto_Magnifico on
Nov 29, 2008 8:46 PM EST
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There are other grammatical problems in that paragraph, but the use of "their" is not one of them
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on
Nov 30, 2008 1:20 AM EST
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this isn't going to help the rep you guys have for being humorless
nevermind the fact that the distinction you’re making is aesthetic at best.
nothing gets ‘em wetter than infrequent postings on the city’s second favorite team
by colintj on
Nov 29, 2008 9:02 PM EST
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There's a difference between being humorless and not funny
I’d like to think I’m at least the second. :-)
by Dan Turkenkopf on
Nov 29, 2008 9:22 PM EST
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Anyone who reads DRB knows I'm the latter.
I try to keep the tone here a bit more serious.
by R.J. Anderson on
Nov 29, 2008 9:30 PM EST
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"the distinction you’re making is aesthetic at best."
It’s not an aesthetic distinction. That would imply that you choose one simply because one sounds better, looks nicer or is generally more appealing. This is a case of one usage being wrong and one usage being right.
by azruavatar on
Nov 30, 2008 3:02 PM EST
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or it would imply that the people who run this site want to see one simply because one sounds better to them, looks nicer to them or is generally more appealing to them.
by larry on
Nov 30, 2008 4:58 PM EST
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Fewer vs. less is definitely a pet peeve of mine.
I try not to be too anal about this stuff. Thanks for indulging.
Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.
by Sky Kalkman on
Nov 30, 2008 6:50 PM EST
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i'm a spelling-grammar nazi, too.
but i usually hide it well.
by larry on
Nov 30, 2008 9:20 PM EST
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Numbers > "eloquent language"
I know that's a pisser, baby.
by Blicks on
Nov 29, 2008 9:51 PM EST
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Number vs. amount
I would add that the same rules apply to the use of “number” vs. “amount.”
Use “number” when you can count the quantity in question; use “amount” when you can’t count the quantity in question. Examples are below.
- Bulleted list Roy Halladay had a number of strikeouts in today’s game.
- Bulleted list Big Papi ate a large amount of food before today’s game.
by Bernie51 on
Dec 1, 2008 11:05 AM EST
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