When do we use the word less - Word и Excel - помощь в работе с программами

What is the difference between fewer and less? — everything is simple

Few, a few, little and a little in English are pronouns indicating quantity, in order to indicate a lack of something. These pronouns can stand in a sentence as defined to a noun, or independently of it, independently.

Depending on the form of use — whether the article is used or not — quantitative pronouns have different meanings. These differences include, as a rule, not only the semantic load, but also a certain assessment, which is found in the translation.

Rules of Use

For nouns that have both singular and plural, as well as when a noun / pronoun is only thought of, its presence becomes apparent from the context, the pronouns few / a few are used.

In this case, it does not matter at all how the noun forms its plural — for all these cases, the rule will act the same.

For example:

She went to the USA for a few months… — She went to America for several months.

Few of her friends had been in the USA… — Few of her friends were in America.

The pronouns little / a little are used in sentences with uncountable nouns. The rules for their use and their semantic meaning are absolutely the same as for the pronouns few / a few, and their translation into Russian is also no different.

Example:

She stood in the USA a little last year… — Last year she spent a little time in America.

When she first came to the USA, she little thought that she would stay there so long. — When she first arrived in America, she never thought that she would stay there for so long.

Pronoun meaning (word translation)

As we noted, the pronouns few, little, a few, and a little are used to indicate not enough of something. The difference between them appears only in the context of their use with nouns.

So, few / a few is used with countable nouns, and little / a little — with those that have only a singular, or only a plural.

However, there are still some differences in meanings, which depend on the form in which the pronoun is used, and create some difference in translation.

The pronouns few, little, used without the indefinite article, express the meaning of «little», «not enough» or «not at all.» If they stand with an article, then the meaning is interpreted as «little, but enough» or «a little».

Moreover, in the first case, the sentence will most likely contain a somewhat negative connotation, in the second — neutral:

I can’t help you. I speak very little English… — I cannot help you, I know very little English.

I can help you, I speak a little English… — I can help you, I speak a little English.

It would seem that in both cases the first part of the sentence implies the same thing — I do not speak English very well, my knowledge is hardly enough.

However, if in the first sentence the evaluative fact is negative, then in the second it bears a positive connotation, and this already implies the use of the pronoun little with the indefinite article a:

His English is intermediate, he forgets about his lessons. He has very little interest in languages… — His English is not above average, he forgets about his lessons. He has no interest in languages at all.
His English is intermediate, he coaches in it every weekends. He has a little interest in language. — His English is intermediate and he trains him every weekend. He has little interest in languages.
I didn’t read this book in original, I can say very little about it… — I have not read this book in the original, I can say very little about it.
I didn’t read this book in original, I can say a little about it… — I have not read this book in the original, but I can tell you a little about it.
Very few of his friends can speak English… — Almost none of his friends speak English.
A few of his friends can speak in English not bad at all. “Some of his friends don’t speak English bad at all.

Comparative and superlative

Like adjectives, quantitative pronouns in English can create degrees of comparison.

The pronouns few / a few form comparative and superlatives according to all the rules of the English language.

In the case of the pronouns little / a little, the situation is different:

few ⇒ fewer ⇒ the fewis — few ⇒ less ⇒ least
little ⇒ less ⇒ the least — little ⇒ less ⇒ least
a few / a little ⇒ more ⇒ the most — a little ⇒ more ⇒ most

Source: https://vseprostdo.ru/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less.html

What is the difference between fewer and less. use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

Hey, folks! In this article, you will learn: when the English sentence uses «little» and when «few», what is the difference between «small» and «less», and when to use certain words with countable or uncountable nouns. Everything is accessible and understandable! Are you ready to be surprised? Let’s go then!

So, in English we use the word «few» when we mean extremely small the amount of something or the absence of something at all.

The word is translated as «very little«, I.e. «Not enough» at all. We use it, as a rule, when we are dealing with countable plural nouns, those objects and things that can be counted.

Few
Very little James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

In the above sentence, we used “few” to indicate that only two or three family members leave the city, most of the relatives remain in place.

However, if we used “a few«, Then the meaning would change:

A few members of James «family leave Pittsburgh and move to NY each year.
Some(a small number) of James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

Here we are talking about the fact that a small number of family members leave their hometown. Of course, there are still not many of them, but the emphasis here is on the fact that there are some nearest & dearest (close and dear relatives) who are moving, and not on the fact that their number is small.

An exception to the use of «a few» is the expression «quite a few«-«quite a bit of«,» A decent number «,» a lot. «

I have many besties, I have known quite a few of them since high school.
I have a lot of best friends quite a few I know of them since high school. So many mosquitoes in this house! The fewestof them are in the living room though.
There are so many mosquitoes in this house! Although in their living room least of all.Mia made fewergrammar mistakes last time.
Last time Mia did less grammatical errors.

little / a little

«Little» [«lɪtl] and» a little «follow the same pattern as» few «with» a few «. The difference is that we use «few» and «a few» with plural nouns, while «little» and «a little» with nouns, which cannot be counted by the piece:

Unfortunately, we have littletime to prepare before the exam.
Sorry, not preparing for the exam with us very little time. Unfortunately, we have a littletime to prepare before we have to go today.
Unfortunately, for preparation today we have slightly time before we have to leave.

In the first example, we say that we have a little time to prepare, but this time is still enough. In the second, we mean that there is time, but it is not enough to prepare thoroughly.

For a better understanding, you can compare these words with a glass of water.

If you need to focus on the fact that the glass is half full, then we say “littlewater ”(a little water, but enough in a glass).

If you want to emphasize that the glass is half empty, then “a little water ”(there is little water and not enough water in the glass).

homer does lesshomework than I used to.
Homer does less homework than I once did.The least environmentallyhostile generator costs a fortune.
Leastdangerousfor the environment the energy source is worth a fortune.

Small

The adjective «small» translates as «small»/«small»/«небольшой«And is used when this is aboutthe size of

Source: https://film05.ru/bathroom/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less-ispolzovanie-slov-much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-i-plenty.html

Countable and uncountable nouns — video tutorial

Let’s say you come to someone’s house, open the refrigerator, and there all the shelves are crammed with packs of butter from top to bottom. You will express surprise by exclaiming not Wow! That’s a lot of butters !, a

That’s a lot of butter! — How much oil is there

Finding hundreds of pencils in a desk drawer, you say no Wow! That’s a lot of pencil !, a

That’s a lot of pencils! — Wow, how many pencils!

Uncountable nouns

This is because oil is an uncountable noun in English, and a pencil is a countable noun. Uncountable means the whole class of a given substance — rain (rain), snow (snow), applause (applause), guilt (wine), liking (addiction). Most of the food is also incalculable: flour (flour), rice (rice).

They can be counted only in 3 cases:

— in the limitation of stick meters

a stick of butter — a pack of butter

— to distinguish between subspecies

3 butters — lime butter, pepper butter, chilly butter — 3 types of butter — lime, pepper, chili

— to mark packages in catering

Waiter, we need some more butters here — Waiter, more packs of butter here

Countable nouns

Countable nouns in English are subject-matter — they can always be counted, put in the plural, and numbered.

5 pencils — 5 pencils

2 cars — 2 cars

7 people — 7 people

3 children — 3 children

Quantitative nouns

There are quantitative nouns and pronouns that are combined with only 1 of 2 classes. So, an amount of requires an uncountable noun, and number of requires a countable noun.

a number of cows — several cows

Similarly, less is followed by an uncountable noun, and fewer is followed by a countable noun. However, less is also used with plural price tags — after all, we are not talking about a bill, but about the whole price.

less applause — less applause

less than 10 dollars — less than 10 dollars

In some illiterate supermarkets, you can see the inscription Less than 10 items express checkout. That’s right

Fewer than 10 items — Up to 10 purchases

Fun Facts

Dandelion root can be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute.

Source: https://www.lovelylanguage.ru/grammar/video-lessons/count-and-mass-nouns

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes

It is the pearl of all grammatical mistakes. And all because the words are similar in meaning and sound. But still there are nuances. To lie is translated as «to lie», «to be located», «to lie down».

I love to lie down in front of the fire and read — I like to lie near the fireplace with a book.

But lie is an irregular verb, in the past tense it turns into lay.

The town lay in ruins — The town lay in ruins.

And this form is written and pronounced in the same way as an independent verb to lay. The main meaning of which is «to put».

She laid the baby on the bed — She laid the baby on the bed.

In a word, the confusion, of course, is utter, but if you look deeply into it and remember it once, it will be much easier to avoid mistakes.

2. Continual and continuous

These words can be called paronyms: they are spelled almost the same, but differ in meaning. Continual applies to repeated actions or events.

I’m sorry, I can’t work with these continual interruptions — Sorry, but I can’t work like that, I’m constantly interrupted.

But continuous is about something that lasts continuously.

He spoke continuously for more than two hours — He spoke without stopping for more than two hours.

3. Envy and jealous

Even philologists cannot always explain the difference between these words clearly. Dictionaries say that jealous is primarily about jealousy.

In a moment of jealous frenzy, she cut the sleeves off all his shirts — In a fit of jealousy, she shredded the sleeves of his shirts.

But the word has a second meaning: «annoyance because someone has what you yourself would like.» In other words, envy. It is how “envy” translates the second word, envy.

He had always been very jealous of his brother’s success — He was always very jealous of his brother’s success.
Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has amassed — Some of his colleagues envy his enormous wealth.

So what’s the difference? Linguists admit that if we are talking about envy, and not about jealousy, the differences have practically disappeared and the two words can be considered synonymous. Although earlier jealous meant a more serious, terrible and dramatic degree of envy.

4. Fewer and less

Less is used when we are talking about something abstract and uncountable, or when we don’t mention the exact amount.

I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than I used to — I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than usual.
We must try to spend less money — We must try to spend less money.

Few and fewer can be safely used when talking about specific numbers or something that can be accurately calculated.

Fewer than 3,500 tigers are left in the wild today — No more than three and a half thousand tigers live in the wild today.
We received far fewer complaints than expected — We received far fewer complaints than expected.

5. Disinterested and uninterested

It seems that both prefixes — dis- and un- — denote negation. And if so, then the meaning of the words is the same. But no. Disinterested translates to impartial.

A disinterested observer / judgment

If we are talking about disinterest and indifference, it would be more correct to use the option uninterested.

He’s completely uninterested in sports — He’s completely uninterested in sports.

True, not all linguists are united on this issue. The compilers of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, for example, believe that these words can be synonymous.

6. Anxious and excited

In Russian, the word “worry” can be used not only in the negative (“I’m terribly worried about you!”), But also in a positive way (“I was so excited when I received your letter!”). Perhaps that is why when we speak English, in similar cases we try to use anxious. But this word translates as «alarmed, worried, nervous.»

It’s natural that you should feel anxious when you first leave home — It’s natural to be anxious when you first leave home.

If you are happy to see friends, telling them that you are anxious to see them would be wrong. Excited is more appropriate here. By the way, the word anxious is also appropriate if we are impatient to do something or we are striving for something.

I’m anxious to get home to open my presents — I can’t wait to come home as soon as possible and open the presents.

7. Affect and effect

To deal with this dilemma, a simple hint can be used. Affect is almost always a verb, effect is a noun. Affect can be translated as «influence, cause, lead to something.»

Factors that affect sleep include stress and many medical conditions — Causes that affect sleep include stress and various medical conditions.

Effect is, in fact, the effect or the result of some processes or events.

I’m suffering from the effects of too little sleep — I suffer from the effects of lack of sleep.

8. Among and between

Words are similar in meaning, but still not synonymous. Between translates as «between».

A narrow path runs between the two houses — A narrow path runs between the two houses.
The shop is closed for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30 — The shop is closed for lunch from half past twelve to half past one.

Among rather means «among», «one of».

The decision will not be popular among students — This decision will not be popular among students.
She divided the cake among the children — She divided the cake between the children.

If we are talking about specific people or objects, it is more appropriate to speak between, and if it is about indefinite or generalized — among.

9. Assure and ensure

It is clear that in both cases we are talking about faith, trust or assurances. But since the words sound and spelled almost the same, it’s easy to get confused. And here it is important to remember that assure is used when we want to assure or convince someone of something.

She assured them, that she would be all right — She assured them that everything would be fine with her.

But ensure is appropriate to use when we ourselves want to make sure of something.

Please ensure that all examination papers have your name at the top — Please ensure that your examination papers are signed.

10. Then and than

It is easy to confuse these words, but it is better not to do this, because then the sentence will lose its meaning. Just one letter — and what a difference in meaning! Then is an adverb that translates as «then» and «then».

She trained as a teacher and then became a lawyer — She studied to be a teacher, but then became a lawyer.

Than is a preposition, it is used for comparison.

It cost less than I expected — It cost less than I thought.

11. Lose and loose

Here, too, almost the same spelling and pronunciation are to blame for everything. The word «loser» is well known even to those who are not very good at English. Therefore, it seems that both lose and loose are about failures and losses. But it is important to remember that lose means “to lose”, “to lose”, “to lose”.

I hope he doesn’t lose his job — I hope he doesn’t lose his job.

And loose translates as «relaxed», «free», «loose».

A loose dress / sweater — loose dress / sweater.

12. A lot and the lot

Here, in general, the difference is only in the article. But in English, even he can significantly change the meaning of a word. The noun lot together with the indefinite article a translates as «a lot», «a large number».

I’ve got a lot to do this morning — I have a lot to do this morning.

At the same time, the lot is a British colloquial element, which means not just «a lot», but «everything.»

I made enough curry for three people and he ate the lot — I cooked curry for three, and he ate it all alone.

13. Amount and number

Here the story is similar to fewer and less. Both words refer to quantity, but amount is used when we are talking about something indefinite and uncountable, and number is used when we are talking about objects or people that can be counted.

The project will take a huge amount of time and money — This project will take a huge amount of time and money.
A small number of children are educated at home — A small number of children study at home.

UPD. Updated on October 25, 2019.

13 Difficulties in English and How to Avoid Them

We learn English first at school, then at university, but the years go by — and we still make mistakes even in simple cases that do not apply to exceptions. We have prepared examples of common difficulties and rules for them. Having carefully studied and carefully understood the rules of spelling and pronunciation once, you will no longer make funny mistakes, and the level of English proficiency will be higher than that of some native speakers!

Incorrect use of apostrophes

What is the difference between fewer and less. example sentences ca little. use of few, a few, little, a little

Today we will look at the words with which we speak about a small amount of something or someone: few, little и a few, a little… In English, sometimes one small detail can completely change the meaning of what is said. Let’s find out how adding a before words few и little changes their meaning.

Use few

Using less and fewer. Use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

In this article, we will analyze when and how to use pronouns. few, a few, little, a little, a lot of, some, anycalled with a beautiful word — quantifiers (quantifiers). Often they have the same meaning, but their use in English depends on which object they describe — that is, with which noun — countable or uncountable they are used.

Scheme of using quantifiers:

The use of much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty

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Have you noticed how often we use the words «a lot», «a little», «a few» in our speech and how we do not like to give exact numbers? Secretive by nature, the English also use these words very often in speech.

When we say «a lot» in English, we use the words many, much, a lot of, plenty of, and when we say «little» — few, a few, little, a little. These words are called determiners, they indicate an indefinite amount of something.

This article will show you when and where to use much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty of in English.

The noun plays a key role in the choice of the defining word. The determiner depends on which noun is in front of us, countable (countable) or uncountable (uncountable). Once again, we recall that we can count countable nouns and they have a plural form (a boy — boys). And uncountable nouns do not have a plural form (water — some water), and we cannot count them.

We have divided all words into three groups depending on which noun they are used with. We will consider each group separately.

Much / Little Many / Few A lot of / Plenty of

Uncountable nouns	Countable nouns	Countable and uncountable nouns
How much money have you got? — How much money do you have? — There is little ink left in my pen.	I have many friends. — He has got few friends. — He has few friends.	There is a lot of sugar there. — There are plenty of plants in the garden. — There are many plants in the garden.

Many, few, a few with countable nouns

Less / Fewer

«Less» and «fewer»Both words indicate quantitative indicators. «Less«- the comparative form of the word»little«, but «fewer«Is the comparative form»few».

Little [ˈLɪtəl] — a little, a little.
Few [fju] — a little, a little.

we have less milk than I’d hoped. — We have less milk than I had hoped.
There are fewer people than I expected. — Of people lessthan I expected.

Less

Difference in the use of less and fewer in English

Why is it so easy to get confused when using «less» and «fewer» — two pointers to many English languages?

This is because these words are translated the same way — «less», but they are used when discussing quantities of different types. In one case, the conversation is about objects that can be counted, in the other about things that require weighing.

An error in the use of both words, albeit noticeable, is not at all critical. If you are not a pedant, then perhaps you will not attach much importance to this lesson; for everyone else, it’s time to figure out how and what we consider as a smaller value.

Difference between less and fewer in English

«Little» in English

How do you say «little» in English? Find out in this article!

Hello, friends! What lovely weather outside today, right? I don’t know about you, but I love warm spring and summer! This is definitely the best time of the year! So, put off all your business for the weekend and go outside to enjoy this sunny and wonderful day!

Source: https://enjoyenglish-blog.com/razgovornyj-anglijskij/malo-na-anglijskom.html

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes — News All Kharkiv

It doesn’t matter what level you have. Even native speakers are sometimes confused in these words.

1. Lay and lie

What is the difference between fewer and less? — everything is simple

Rules of Use

What is the difference between fewer and less. use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

So, in English we use the word «few» when we mean extremely small the amount of something or the absence of something at all.

The word is translated as «very little«, I.e. «Not enough» at all. We use it, as a rule, when we are dealing with countable plural nouns, those objects and things that can be counted.

Few
Very little James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

In the above sentence, we used “few” to indicate that only two or three family members leave the city, most of the relatives remain in place.

However, if we used “a few«, Then the meaning would change:

A few members of James «family leave Pittsburgh and move to NY each year.
Some(a small number) of James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

An exception to the use of «a few» is the expression «quite a few«-«quite a bit of«,» A decent number «,» a lot. «

little / a little

Countable and uncountable nouns — video tutorial

That’s a lot of butter! — How much oil is there

Finding hundreds of pencils in a desk drawer, you say no Wow! That’s a lot of pencil !, a

That’s a lot of pencils! — Wow, how many pencils!

Uncountable nouns

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes

I love to lie down in front of the fire and read — I like to lie near the fireplace with a book.

But lie is an irregular verb, in the past tense it turns into lay.

The town lay in ruins — The town lay in ruins.

And this form is written and pronounced in the same way as an independent verb to lay. The main meaning of which is «to put».

She laid the baby on the bed — She laid the baby on the bed.

In a word, the confusion, of course, is utter, but if you look deeply into it and remember it once, it will be much easier to avoid mistakes.

2. Continual and continuous

13 Difficulties in English and How to Avoid Them

Incorrect use of apostrophes

Using apostrophes is not that difficult. Today, mistakes associated with the use of apostrophes are one of the most common in the English language. The apostrophe is used to indicate that something belongs to someone or something. To indicate that an object belongs to one person, the apostrophe must be placed before the ending «-s».

Example: «The girl’s horse» — the horse belongs to the girl.

To indicate that an object belongs to several persons, the apostrophe must be placed after the end of «-s».

Example: «The girls’ horse» — the horse belongs to girls.

Your or you’re

What is the difference between fewer and less. example sentences ca little. use of few, a few, little, a little

Use few

Pronunciation and translation:
Few / [fyu] — little

Meaning of the word:
Small amount

Few is used with (people, chairs, flowers, apples).

This word is used to emphasize a small amount of something or someone. That is, we say that we have not enough of something or someonefor a specific business.

Few has a negative meaning, we say that something is not enough and we regret it. For example, she had littleacquaintances in this city, that is, she lacked communication and was lonely.

This country has few natural resources.
This country has little natural resources.

Few politicians admit their mistakes.
Little politicians admit their mistakes.

Little

Using less and fewer. Use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

Scheme of using quantifiers:

The details will help you master the audio lessons from the LingQ foreign language learning system, which is described in the article. For convenience, Russian translations are provided after each English text.

1. Little — few quantifiers

The use of much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty

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This article will show you when and where to use much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty of in English.

The noun plays a key role in the choice of the defining word. The determiner depends on which noun is in front of us, countable (countable) or uncountable (uncountable). Once again, we recall that we can count countable nouns and they have a plural form (a boy — boys). And uncountable nouns do not have a plural form (water — some water), and we cannot count them.

We have divided all words into three groups depending on which noun they are used with. We will consider each group separately.

Much / Little Many / Few A lot of / Plenty of

Uncountable nouns	Countable nouns	Countable and uncountable nouns
How much money have you got? — How much money do you have? — There is little ink left in my pen.	I have many friends. — He has got few friends. — He has few friends.	There is a lot of sugar there. — There are plenty of plants in the garden. — There are many plants in the garden.

Many, few, a few with countable nouns

The words many (many), few (few), a few (several) are used with countable nouns. Many denotes a large number of something: many apples (many apples), many friends (many friends), many ideas (many ideas).

The opposite of many is few: few apples, few friends, few ideas. Few often have a negative meaning: very little, not enough, so little that practically none.

A few has an intermediate meaning between many and few, translated as «a few»: a few apples (a few apples), a few friends (a few friends), a few ideas (a few ideas).

— Do you have many friends in this part of the city? — At your place lot friends in this part of town?
— No, I don’t. I have few friends in this part of the city. — I do not have little friends in this part of town. (that is, not enough, I would like more)
— I have a few friends in the city center. — I have some friends in the city center.

Much, little, a little with uncountable nouns

Less / Fewer

«Less» and «fewer»Both words indicate quantitative indicators. «Less«- the comparative form of the word»little«, but «fewer«Is the comparative form»few».

Little [ˈLɪtəl] — a little, a little.
Few [fju] — a little, a little.

we have less milk than I’d hoped. — We have less milk than I had hoped.
There are fewer people than I expected. — Of people lessthan I expected.

Less

We use «less«With uncountable nouns such as: Pollution (pollution), traffic (traffic), News (news), freedom (freedom).

there is less traffic and less pollution. — There less traffic and less pollution.
We’ve been receiving a lot less news since we switched TV providers. — We get much less news since we changed TV providers.
In more conservative societies, women have less freedom than they do here. — In more conservative societies, women have less freedom than here.

fewer

Difference in the use of less and fewer in English

Why is it so easy to get confused when using «less» and «fewer» — two pointers to many English languages?

Difference between less and fewer in English

fewer

«Little» in English

How do you say «little» in English? Find out in this article!

Source: https://enjoyenglish-blog.com/razgovornyj-anglijskij/malo-na-anglijskom.html

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes — News All Kharkiv

It doesn’t matter what level you have. Even native speakers are sometimes confused in these words.

1. Lay and lie

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes — News All Kharkiv

It doesn’t matter what level you have. Even native speakers are sometimes confused in these words.

1. Lay and lie

I love to lie down in front of the fire and read — I like to lie near the fireplace with a book.

But lie is an irregular verb, in the past tense it turns into lay.

The town lay in ruins — The town lay in ruins.

And this form is written and pronounced in the same way as an independent verb to lay. The main meaning of which is “to put”.

She laid the baby on the bed — She laid the baby on the bed.

In a word, the confusion, of course, is utter, but if you look deeply into it and remember it once, it will be much easier to avoid mistakes.

2. Continual and continuous

What is the difference between fewer and less? — everything is simple

Rules of Use

For nouns that have both singular and plural, as well as when a noun / pronoun is only thought of, its presence becomes apparent from the context, the pronouns few / a few are used.

In this case, it does not matter at all how the noun forms its plural — for all these cases, the rule will act the same.

For example:

She went to the USA for a few months… — She went to America for several months.

Few of her friends had been in the USA… — Few of her friends were in America.

Example:

She stood in the USA a little last year… — Last year she spent a little time in America.

When she first came to the USA, she little thought that she would stay there so long. — When she first arrived in America, she never thought that she would stay there for so long.

Pronoun meaning (word translation)

As we noted, the pronouns few, little, a few, and a little are used to indicate not enough of something. The difference between them appears only in the context of their use with nouns.

So, few / a few is used with countable nouns, and little / a little — with those that have only a singular, or only a plural.

However, there are still some differences in meanings, which depend on the form in which the pronoun is used, and create some difference in translation.

Moreover, in the first case, the sentence will most likely contain a somewhat negative connotation, in the second — neutral:

I can’t help you. I speak very little English… — I cannot help you, I know very little English.

I can help you, I speak a little English… — I can help you, I speak a little English.

It would seem that in both cases the first part of the sentence implies the same thing — I do not speak English very well, my knowledge is hardly enough.

His English is intermediate, he forgets about his lessons. He has very little interest in languages… — His English is not above average, he forgets about his lessons. He has no interest in languages at all.
His English is intermediate, he coaches in it every weekends. He has a little interest in language. — His English is intermediate and he trains him every weekend. He has little interest in languages.
I didn’t read this book in original, I can say very little about it… — I have not read this book in the original, I can say very little about it.
I didn’t read this book in original, I can say a little about it… — I have not read this book in the original, but I can tell you a little about it.
Very few of his friends can speak English… — Almost none of his friends speak English.
A few of his friends can speak in English not bad at all. “Some of his friends don’t speak English bad at all.

Comparative and superlative

Like adjectives, quantitative pronouns in English can create degrees of comparison.

The pronouns few / a few form comparative and superlatives according to all the rules of the English language.

In the case of the pronouns little / a little, the situation is different:

few ⇒ fewer ⇒ the fewis — few ⇒ less ⇒ least
little ⇒ less ⇒ the least — little ⇒ less ⇒ least
a few / a little ⇒ more ⇒ the most — a little ⇒ more ⇒ most

Source: https://vseprostdo.ru/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less.html

What is the difference between fewer and less. use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

So, in English we use the word «few» when we mean extremely small the amount of something or the absence of something at all.

The word is translated as «very little«, I.e. «Not enough» at all. We use it, as a rule, when we are dealing with countable plural nouns, those objects and things that can be counted.

Few
Very little James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

In the above sentence, we used “few” to indicate that only two or three family members leave the city, most of the relatives remain in place.

However, if we used “a few«, Then the meaning would change:

A few members of James «family leave Pittsburgh and move to NY each year.
Some(a small number) of James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

An exception to the use of «a few» is the expression «quite a few«-«quite a bit of«,» A decent number «,» a lot. «

little / a little

In the first example, we say that we have a little time to prepare, but this time is still enough. In the second, we mean that there is time, but it is not enough to prepare thoroughly.

For a better understanding, you can compare these words with a glass of water.

If you need to focus on the fact that the glass is half full, then we say “littlewater ”(a little water, but enough in a glass).

If you want to emphasize that the glass is half empty, then “a little water ”(there is little water and not enough water in the glass).

Small

The adjective «small» translates as «small»/«small»/«небольшой«And is used when this is aboutthe size of

Source: https://film05.ru/bathroom/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less-ispolzovanie-slov-much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-i-plenty.html

Countable and uncountable nouns — video tutorial

That’s a lot of butter! — How much oil is there

Finding hundreds of pencils in a desk drawer, you say no Wow! That’s a lot of pencil !, a

That’s a lot of pencils! — Wow, how many pencils!

Uncountable nouns

They can be counted only in 3 cases:

— in the limitation of stick meters

a stick of butter — a pack of butter

— to distinguish between subspecies

3 butters — lime butter, pepper butter, chilly butter — 3 types of butter — lime, pepper, chili

— to mark packages in catering

Waiter, we need some more butters here — Waiter, more packs of butter here

Countable nouns

Countable nouns in English are subject-matter — they can always be counted, put in the plural, and numbered.

5 pencils — 5 pencils

2 cars — 2 cars

7 people — 7 people

3 children — 3 children

Quantitative nouns

There are quantitative nouns and pronouns that are combined with only 1 of 2 classes. So, an amount of requires an uncountable noun, and number of requires a countable noun.

a number of cows — several cows

less applause — less applause

less than 10 dollars — less than 10 dollars

In some illiterate supermarkets, you can see the inscription Less than 10 items express checkout. That’s right

Fewer than 10 items — Up to 10 purchases

Fun Facts

Dandelion root can be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute.

Source: https://www.lovelylanguage.ru/grammar/video-lessons/count-and-mass-nouns

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes

I love to lie down in front of the fire and read — I like to lie near the fireplace with a book.

But lie is an irregular verb, in the past tense it turns into lay.

The town lay in ruins — The town lay in ruins.

And this form is written and pronounced in the same way as an independent verb to lay. The main meaning of which is «to put».

She laid the baby on the bed — She laid the baby on the bed.

In a word, the confusion, of course, is utter, but if you look deeply into it and remember it once, it will be much easier to avoid mistakes.

2. Continual and continuous

These words can be called paronyms: they are spelled almost the same, but differ in meaning. Continual applies to repeated actions or events.

I’m sorry, I can’t work with these continual interruptions — Sorry, but I can’t work like that, I’m constantly interrupted.

But continuous is about something that lasts continuously.

He spoke continuously for more than two hours — He spoke without stopping for more than two hours.

3. Envy and jealous

Even philologists cannot always explain the difference between these words clearly. Dictionaries say that jealous is primarily about jealousy.

In a moment of jealous frenzy, she cut the sleeves off all his shirts — In a fit of jealousy, she shredded the sleeves of his shirts.

But the word has a second meaning: «annoyance because someone has what you yourself would like.» In other words, envy. It is how “envy” translates the second word, envy.

He had always been very jealous of his brother’s success — He was always very jealous of his brother’s success.
Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has amassed — Some of his colleagues envy his enormous wealth.

4. Fewer and less

Less is used when we are talking about something abstract and uncountable, or when we don’t mention the exact amount.

I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than I used to — I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than usual.
We must try to spend less money — We must try to spend less money.

Few and fewer can be safely used when talking about specific numbers or something that can be accurately calculated.

Fewer than 3,500 tigers are left in the wild today — No more than three and a half thousand tigers live in the wild today.
We received far fewer complaints than expected — We received far fewer complaints than expected.

5. Disinterested and uninterested

It seems that both prefixes — dis- and un- — denote negation. And if so, then the meaning of the words is the same. But no. Disinterested translates to impartial.

A disinterested observer / judgment

If we are talking about disinterest and indifference, it would be more correct to use the option uninterested.

He’s completely uninterested in sports — He’s completely uninterested in sports.

True, not all linguists are united on this issue. The compilers of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, for example, believe that these words can be synonymous.

6. Anxious and excited

It’s natural that you should feel anxious when you first leave home — It’s natural to be anxious when you first leave home.

I’m anxious to get home to open my presents — I can’t wait to come home as soon as possible and open the presents.

7. Affect and effect

To deal with this dilemma, a simple hint can be used. Affect is almost always a verb, effect is a noun. Affect can be translated as «influence, cause, lead to something.»

Factors that affect sleep include stress and many medical conditions — Causes that affect sleep include stress and various medical conditions.

Effect is, in fact, the effect or the result of some processes or events.

I’m suffering from the effects of too little sleep — I suffer from the effects of lack of sleep.

8. Among and between

Words are similar in meaning, but still not synonymous. Between translates as «between».

A narrow path runs between the two houses — A narrow path runs between the two houses.
The shop is closed for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30 — The shop is closed for lunch from half past twelve to half past one.

Among rather means «among», «one of».

The decision will not be popular among students — This decision will not be popular among students.
She divided the cake among the children — She divided the cake between the children.

If we are talking about specific people or objects, it is more appropriate to speak between, and if it is about indefinite or generalized — among.

9. Assure and ensure

She assured them, that she would be all right — She assured them that everything would be fine with her.

But ensure is appropriate to use when we ourselves want to make sure of something.

Please ensure that all examination papers have your name at the top — Please ensure that your examination papers are signed.

10. Then and than

She trained as a teacher and then became a lawyer — She studied to be a teacher, but then became a lawyer.

Than is a preposition, it is used for comparison.

It cost less than I expected — It cost less than I thought.

11. Lose and loose

I hope he doesn’t lose his job — I hope he doesn’t lose his job.

And loose translates as «relaxed», «free», «loose».

A loose dress / sweater — loose dress / sweater.

12. A lot and the lot

I’ve got a lot to do this morning — I have a lot to do this morning.

At the same time, the lot is a British colloquial element, which means not just «a lot», but «everything.»

I made enough curry for three people and he ate the lot — I cooked curry for three, and he ate it all alone.

13. Amount and number

The project will take a huge amount of time and money — This project will take a huge amount of time and money.
A small number of children are educated at home — A small number of children study at home.

UPD. Updated on October 25, 2019.

Source: `https://lifehacker.ru/20-oshibok-v-anglijskom-yazyke-kotorye-delaet-kazhdyj-iz-nas/`

13 Difficulties in English and How to Avoid Them

Incorrect use of apostrophes

Example: «The girl’s horse» — the horse belongs to the girl.

To indicate that an object belongs to several persons, the apostrophe must be placed after the end of «-s».

Example: «The girls’ horse» — the horse belongs to girls.

Your or you’re

“Your” is used when an object belongs to you.

Example: «Today is your lucky day» — Today is your lucky day.

“You’re” is used only as a shorthand for “you are”: pronoun “you” + verb “are”.

Example: “You’re beautiful” — You are beautiful.

There, their and they’re

And again these words, which sound almost the same. The word “there” is used to contrast “here”. “There” can also be used at the beginning of statements: There are no cakes left — There are no cakes left.

“Their” indicates that the object belongs to others.

Example: «Can we use their boat?» — Can we use their boat?

“They’re” is a shorthand for “they are”: the pronoun “they” + the verb “are”.

Example: «They’re going to be here soon» — They will be here soon.

Fewer or less

Even native speakers do not always understand the difference between “fewer” and “less”, mistakes are found even in advertisements of some supermarkets in English-speaking countries. Cases where people use “less” to mean “fewer” are very common.

“Fewer” is used with countable nouns, that is, words that can be counted: cake, piece, grains of sand.

Example: «Fewer grains of sand» — Fewer grains of sand.

“Less” is used with uncountable nouns, that is, those that cannot be counted: coffee, water, sand.

Example: «Less sand» — less sand.

Amount or number

The same rule applies here as in the previous example. “Number” is used with countable nouns: birds, tables, chairs.

Example: «A greater number of people» — More and more people.

“Amount” is used with uncountable nouns: water, sugar, sand.

Example: «A larger amount of water» — More water.

To, two and too

The words sound identical, which is confusing for English learners. By ear, you can distinguish them by understanding other words from the context and the general meaning of the statements.

“To” is the particle that is used to form the initial form of the verb: “to talk” — to speak. “To” is also used to mean “towards something”.

Example: «I’m going to town» — I’m going to town.

“Too” means “too”, “also”, “too”.

Example: «I’m too hot» — I’m too hot.

“Two” means “two”.

Example: «He bought two cakes» — He bought two cakes.

Then or than

“Then” and “than” are often confused not only because they sound similar, but also because they are written almost the same.

“Than” is used when we want to compare two objects.

Example: This dress is more beautiful than that one — This dress is more beautiful than that.

“Then” is used to indicate an event that will follow another, such as when making a plan or schedule.

Example: We’ll go to the cinema and then to the cafe — We will go to the cinema and then to the cafe.

Me, myself, I

Here’s an easy way to remember the difference between “me”, “myself” and “I”. When you talk about yourself and another person in the same sentence, their name should appear at the beginning of the sentence.

To check which pronoun you need at the moment, “me” or “I”, remove the name of the person you are talking about and see which pronoun sounds more correct.

In the sentence “John and I are off to the circus” — “John and I are going to the circus” you are not only talking about yourself, so it is better to use the pronoun “I”.

«Me» can only be used when you talk about yourself as an object, that is, when an action is directed at you. Also, «me» is placed after the preposition, that is, you cannot say «with I», we say «with me».

Use the pronoun “myself” if you have already used the pronoun “I” or if you want to emphasize that you are doing an action on your own or in relation to only yourself.

Who or whom

Another tricky moment for people learning English.

“Who” refers to the one who performs the action.

Example: “Who did this? He did ”- Who did it? — He did it.

Whereas “whom” is used to refer to the object to which the action is directed.

Example: “Whom should I invite? Invite him ”. Who should I invite? — Invite him.

Who and that

Often, English learners use “that” instead of “who” or “whom,” which is incorrect. You cannot use “that” when you are talking about a person.

Example: “He was the only person who wanted to come” — He was the only one who wanted to come.

Affect or effect

The words are easy to get confused because they sound and spelled almost the same. But there is a simple rule to help you remember the difference between the two.

“Affect” is a verb meaning “to influence, to influence something”. You can draw a parallel with the expression in Russian «state of passion»: he committed a crime in a state of passion, that is, under the influence of some sudden process.

Example: “They were directly affected by the flooding” — The flood directly affected them.

“Effect” is a noun meaning the result or effect of the influence exerted. You can also draw a parallel with the use of a word in Russian, for example, «negative effect of the statement», that is, there was some statement that subsequently caused a negative effect.

Example: “He waited for the medicine to have an effect” — He expected the drug to be effective.

Ie or Eg

English learners often do not know the decoding of these abbreviations, so they use them incorrectly when writing.

Ie means “that is” or “in other words”, comes from the Latin expression “id est”.

Example: «He objects to the changes — ie he won’t be accepting them» — He objects to the changes, that is, he won’t accept them.

Eg means “for example,” comes from the Latin expression “exempli gratia”.

Example: “He d many different cheeses, eg cheddar, camembert and brie” — He liked many different cheeses, eg cheddar, camembert and brie.

Use these abbreviations only in informal correspondence. In official documents, it is better to write their values in expanded form: “for example” and “that is”.

Its or it’s

We wrote above that apostrophes are used to indicate that something belongs to someone or something, but there is an exception to the rule — the pronoun “it”.

“It’s” is used only as a shorthand for “it is” or “it has”. Example: “It’s snowing outside” — It is snowing outside.

“Its” denotes the belonging of an object to an inanimate object, animal or plant. As with “his” and “hers,” there is no apostrophe here.

Example: «The sofa looks great with its new cover» — The sofa looks great with its new cover.

We hope that this article has explained some of the difficulties of the English language and will serve you as an assistant in learning it!

Source: https://blog.teachmeplease.ru/posts/13-trudnostey-angliyskogo-yazyka

What is the difference between fewer and less. example sentences ca little. use of few, a few, little, a little

Use few

Pronunciation and translation:
Few / [fyu] — little

Meaning of the word:
Small amount

Few is used with (people, chairs, flowers, apples).

This word is used to emphasize a small amount of something or someone. That is, we say that we have not enough of something or someonefor a specific business.

Few has a negative meaning, we say that something is not enough and we regret it. For example, she had littleacquaintances in this city, that is, she lacked communication and was lonely.

This country has few natural resources.
This country has little natural resources.

Few politicians admit their mistakes.
Little politicians admit their mistakes.

Little

Pronunciation and translation:
Little [? L? Tl] / [little] — little

Meaning of the word:
Small amount

Little we use with items that we cannot count(time, money, water, sugar, salt).

This word has the same meaning as few, says that something or someone is not enough for some purpose. And a person is upset by such a small amount.

For example, he has little money, that is, he does not have enough money to buy groceries.

Addicting a few

Pronunciation and translation:
A few [? fju?] / [e fyu] — several

Meaning of the word:
A small amount of

A few, just like few is used with items that we can count.

However, when we say a few, the sentence takes on a positive meaning, that is, the speaking person, is not at all upset by a small amount of something. He believes that this amount is quite enough.

For example, she had someacquaintances in this city, that is, she had someone to spend time with, this number of acquaintances was quite enough.

I have got a few suggestions.
I have some offers.

Source: https://draftee.ru/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less-primery-predlozhenii-c-a-little-upotreblenie-few-a-few/

Using less and fewer. Use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

Scheme of using quantifiers:

1. Little — few quantifiers

We use «a little»With uncountable nouns, for example: I have some money. This means: a certain amount, not a lot.

We use «a few»With countable plural nouns, for example:

I know a few words of French. This means: a certain amount, not a lot.

We can use «little» and «few» without «a«, But in this case it means» almost no «or» almost nothing «, for example: We must hurry, we have little time.

His English is very good and he makes few mistakes.

We can also say “very little» or «very few«(Very little), for example:

She is very thin because she eats very little. I made very few mistakes in the test.

And here are some more examples using «a little» and «a few«:

I cannot buy this coat today: I have very little money. She left and returned a few minutes later. There are very few old houses left on our street. She gave us some water to wash our hands. They are very poor and they have very little money. I speak good German and also a little Spanish. There were very few people in the park: it was almost empty. Can I have some milk in my coffee, please?

I hope you think these sentences will ensure that you will make very few mistakes when speaking English.

2. Quantifiers much — many — a lot of

USING much, many, a lot of. We use much with uncountable nouns, for example: a lot of time, a lot of coffee, a lot of money, a lot of sugar.

We use many with countable nouns, for example: many books, many months, many years, many friends.

We use a lot of both uncountable and countable nouns, for example: a lot of friends, a lot of sugar, a lot of photos, a lot of time. However, it is important to note that:

1. We use a lot of mostly in positive sentences, for example: I drink a lot of tea. She carries many books.

2. We use much и many mostly in questions and negative suggestions, for example: How much money do you have? I don’t have a lot of money today. How many mistakes did you make in the test? I didn’t make many mistakes, only a few.

3. We can use lots of instead a lot of before countable nouns, for example: She has many friends.

4. We can use a lot without the noun and in this case we use it without a particle offor example: I ate a lot yesterday.

5. Sometimes much и a lot mean often, for example: Do you often go to the movies? — Not, no so much. Yes, I love movies; I go to the movies often.

More examples using much, many и a lot: I drink a lot of coffee and my sister drinks a lot of tea. What about you, do you drink a lot of coffee? I don’t know many people here. She made a lot of mistakes. There was a lot of food on the table. He talks a lot but does little. There is not much milk in the fridge. How many foreign languages can you speak? There are many trees in our park. I have money, but not much. I have read many English books.

What about you: have you read a lot of English books?

3. Quantifiers some — any

USING some и Any… We use some in positive sentences with both countable and uncountable nouns, for example: I need a little flour and a little butter to make a cake. They made several mistakes.

But the meaning may be different: using some with uncountable nouns it means «a little»; but using some with countable nouns means ‘several’, for example: Not a lot of sugar, a few books. We use Any in negative sentences, for example: We don’t have any milk. They didn’t make a single mistake.

We can also use Any in most (but not all) questions, for example: Do you have any dictionaries? Was there any water in the glass? But we usually use some not Any in questions when we offer things, for example: Would you like coffee? Or when we ask for things, like: can you lend me some money?

And here are some more examples of use Any и some: There is some oil in the refrigerator, but no milk at all. Are there eggs? — No, there are no eggs left. There are some pictures on the wall.

Do you want some tea? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Can I have some water please? Can you speak any foreign languages? I have English books, but not many. Are there shops on this street? — Yes, there are several shops on this street.

They didn’t make a single mistake. And what about you? Have you made mistakes? I hope you haven’t made any mistakes.

Few / few

So, in English we use the word «few» when we mean extremely small the amount of something or the absence of something at all.

The word is translated as «very little«, I.e. «Not enough» at all. We use it, as a rule, when we are dealing with countable plural nouns, those objects and things that can be counted.

Few
Very little James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

In the above sentence, we used “few” to indicate that only two or three family members leave the city, most of the relatives remain in place.

However, if we used “a few«, Then the meaning would change:

A few members of James «family leave Pittsburgh and move to NY each year.
Some(a small number) of James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

An exception to the use of «a few» is the expression «quite a few«-«quite a bit of«,» A decent number «,» a lot. «

little / a little

In the first example, we say that we have a little time to prepare, but this time is still enough. In the second, we mean that there is time, but it is not enough to prepare thoroughly.

For a better understanding, you can compare these words with a glass of water.

If you need to focus on the fact that the glass is half full, then we say “littlewater ”(a little water, but enough in a glass).

If you want to emphasize that the glass is half empty, then “a little water ”(there is little water and not enough water in the glass).

Small

The adjective «small» translates as «small»/«small»/«небольшой«And is used when this is aboutthe size of

Source: https://chaos-heart.ru/upotreblenie-less-i-fewer-ispolzovanie-slov-much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-i-plenty.html

The use of much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty

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This article will show you when and where to use much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty of in English.

The noun plays a key role in the choice of the defining word. The determiner depends on which noun is in front of us, countable (countable) or uncountable (uncountable). Once again, we recall that we can count countable nouns and they have a plural form (a boy — boys). And uncountable nouns do not have a plural form (water — some water), and we cannot count them.

We have divided all words into three groups depending on which noun they are used with. We will consider each group separately.

Much / Little Many / Few A lot of / Plenty of

Uncountable nouns	Countable nouns	Countable and uncountable nouns
How much money have you got? — How much money do you have? — There is little ink left in my pen.	I have many friends. — He has got few friends. — He has few friends.	There is a lot of sugar there. — There are plenty of plants in the garden. — There are many plants in the garden.

Many, few, a few with countable nouns

The opposite of many is few: few apples, few friends, few ideas. Few often have a negative meaning: very little, not enough, so little that practically none.

A few has an intermediate meaning between many and few, translated as «a few»: a few apples (a few apples), a few friends (a few friends), a few ideas (a few ideas).

Much, little, a little with uncountable nouns

The words much, little, and little are used with uncountable nouns. Usually, the uncountable include liquids (water — water, oil — oil), objects that are too small that cannot be counted (sand — sand, flour — flour), or abstract concepts, since they cannot be seen or touched by hands (knowledge — knowledge, work — Work).

Much stands for a large amount of something uncountable: much sugar, much milk, much time.

The opposite of much is little: little sugar, little milk, little time. Little, like few, means that something is not enough, very little.

A little means a small amount of something that cannot be counted: a little sugar, a little milk, a little time.

— Did she put much salt in the soup? — She lot put salt in the soup?
— No, she didn’t. She put little salt in the soup. — No, she put little salt in the soup. (more could have been)
— I added a little salt in her soup. — I added slightly salt in her soup.

A lot of, plenty of — universal words

The words a lot of (many) and plenty of (many) are the most «convenient»: we can use them with both countable nouns and uncountable ones.

A lot of (lots of) replaces much and many: a lot of people (many people), lots of tea (lots of tea). Plenty of means that there is a lot of something, that is, enough or even more than necessary: plenty of people (a lot of people), plenty of tea (a lot of tea).

We bought lots of souvenirs and plenty of tea when we were on vacation in Sri Lanka. — We bought lot souvenirs and lots of tea when we were on vacation in Sri Lanka.

Features and exceptions

Much, many, few, little, a lot of with uncountable nouns
There are a number of nouns that seem to be countable, but in fact are not. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine the «countability» of a noun.

If you are not sure which noun is in front of you, it is better to check it in the dictionary.

Please note that in English, uncountable includes advice, news, work, money, research, travel, furniture.

They have much work to do. — They have lot work.

Source: https://engblog.ru/much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-plenty-usage

Less / Fewer

«Less» and «fewer»Both words indicate quantitative indicators. «Less«- the comparative form of the word»little«, but «fewer«Is the comparative form»few».

Little [ˈLɪtəl] — a little, a little.
Few [fju] — a little, a little.

we have less milk than I’d hoped. — We have less milk than I had hoped.
There are fewer people than I expected. — Of people lessthan I expected.

Less

We use «less«With uncountable nouns such as: Pollution (pollution), traffic (traffic), News (news), freedom (freedom).

there is less traffic and less pollution. — There less traffic and less pollution.
We’ve been receiving a lot less news since we switched TV providers. — We get much less news since we changed TV providers.
In more conservative societies, women have less freedom than they do here. — In more conservative societies, women have less freedom than here.

fewer

We use «fewer«With quantifiable nouns such as: restaurants (restaurants), cafes (Cafe), people (people), bags (bags).

There are fewer restaurants and fewer cafes. — Here less restaurants and cafes.
Fewer people came to the opening than we had expected! — It came to the opening less people than we expected!
There are new pills with fewer side effects. — There are new drugs with smaller the number of side effects.

An exception

When we talk about measurements of time, distance, weight and money, we use “less«.

It is less than six hours until my essay is due. — Until the delivery of the essay is left less six hours.
i live less than fifty miles from London. “I live less than fifty miles from London.

More articles about English

Source: https://english5minutes.ru/less-fewer/

Difference in the use of less and fewer in English

Why is it so easy to get confused when using «less» and «fewer» — two pointers to many English languages?

Difference between less and fewer in English

fewer

This is the comparative form of the demonstrative pronoun «few«- few; little, little. Used before countable nouns when indicating the reduction of the number of objects (elements).

Countable nouns are objects and concepts, the number of which can be counted. It is expressed in pieces, units (pieces, bottles, packs, boxes) and has the plural:

3 packets of yeast;
2 watermelons;
8 eggs;
6 tomatoes.

An amazing selection of products for a wonderful dinner.

Fewer people today carry cash. — Fewer people nowadays carry cash with them.

Less

This is the comparative form of the adverb «little«- a little, a little.

Used by:

when indicating a reduction in the number of items;
before uncountable nouns in the singular.

Uncountable nouns are objects and concepts, the number of which cannot be counted. It is expressed in terms of mass, volume, but in some cases it does not have a clear definition at all:

liquids: water (water), milk (milk), oil (oil), beer (beer);
products: cheese, bread, meat;
gaseous substances: smoke (smoke), air (air), oxygen (oxygen), hydrogen (hydrogen), nitrogen (nitrogen);
substances consisting of many small particles: flour (flour), rice (rice), dust (dust), ash (dust, ash, ash);
natural phenomena: snow (snow), light (light), rain (rain), wind (wind), fog (fog), heat (heat);
abstractions: happiness, health, education, space, work, energy, truth.

there is less privacy today because of social media. — Due to the proliferation of social networks, there is less privacy in our lives today.

Less and fewer in life

In everyday life in the United States, the word «less» is regularly misused. It applies not only to uncountable, but also countable nouns.

Films, serials, programs, advertising, news. Everything becomes a victim of simplicity and laziness. Americans concentrate on the qualitative aspect — the very fact of the reduction, and not the approach to assessing this reduction — volume, quantity.

Even big politicians who claim to be the head of state sometimes use the more widespread less in places that were not intended for that. Meath Romney — the US presidential candidate from the Republican Party in the 2012 elections said (from 02:58):

And this way you get more debt. So more debt and less work. Mitt Romney

The candidate made a reservation and used «less jobs» instead of «fewer jobs «(Less work, jobs).

Similarities between less and fewer

Less and fewer with of

It is necessary to substitute the preposition “of«Before defining words:

articles (a / an, the);
pronouns (him, it);
demonstrative pronouns (this, that);
possessive pronouns (my, her, our).

I have to spend less of my time playing computer games. — I should spend less time playing computer games.

Less without a noun

The noun after «less» or «fewer» can be omitted if it is clear what is meant.

— You bought 10 bottles of juice. — You bought 10 bottles of juice.

— No way! I am sure I bought fewer… — Can not be! I’m sure I bought less.

Use cases for less and fewer

Less, fewer and weight

The whole can also be calculated using grams, kilograms, but the habit is second nature and it tells native English speakers to use “less«Instead of» fewer «.

My weight was less than 8 pounds at birth. — At birth, my weight was less than 8 pounds.

Less, fewer and money

Money is a thing that can be easily calculated. But, in life, we think of money as a whole, as an aggregate, about a mass, and not separate units, presented in the form of banknotes and coins. Therefore, when talking about money, use “less«, Not» fewer «.

I have less than 50 bucks left in my account. — I have less than $ 50 left in my account.

You can still say — fewer than 50 bucks, but it will sound strange and unexpected to those around you.

Less, fewer and percent

Determining the right word for percentages can be problematic. To do this, you need to evaluate the whole picture and ask yourself «Is it possible to calculate what we are describing?»

Fewer than 13 percent of the US citizens have black skin. — Less than 13% of the US population is black.

Counting all citizens with a dark skin color is difficult, but doable. This means 13% is a calculated value.

On the other hand, it is impossible to count the unfinished juice.

It has left less than 30 percent juice in the pack. — The package contains less than 30% of the juice.

Less, fewer and time

It will also be common to use «less«When mentioning the time. We can count the time in seconds, minutes, hours, etc., but sentences are still built with «less».

I think they could spend less time at work. — I think they could spend less time at work.

I think they could spend fewer hours at work. — I think they could spend less hours at work.

Less or Fewer? — Short video tutorial

English subtitles are available in the video.

Less & Fewer.

Source: https://englishboost.ru/less-fewer-raznitsa/

«Little» in English

How do you say «little» in English? Find out in this article!

Source: https://enjoyenglish-blog.com/razgovornyj-anglijskij/malo-na-anglijskom.html

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes — News All Kharkiv

It doesn’t matter what level you have. Even native speakers are sometimes confused in these words.

1. Lay and lie

I love to lie down in front of the fire and read — I like to lie near the fireplace with a book.

But lie is an irregular verb, in the past tense it turns into lay.

The town lay in ruins — The town lay in ruins.

And this form is written and pronounced in the same way as an independent verb to lay. The main meaning of which is “to put”.

She laid the baby on the bed — She laid the baby on the bed.

In a word, the confusion, of course, is utter, but if you look deeply into it and remember it once, it will be much easier to avoid mistakes.

2. Continual and continuous

These words can be called paronyms: they are spelled almost the same, but differ in meaning. Continual applies to repeated actions or events.

I’m sorry, I can’t work with these continual interruptions — Sorry, but I can’t work like that, I’m constantly interrupted.

Continuous, on the other hand, is about something that lasts continuously.

He spoke continuously for more than two hours — He spoke without stopping for more than two hours.

3. Envy and jealous

Even philologists cannot always explain the difference between these words clearly. Dictionaries say that jealous is primarily about jealousy.

In a moment of jealous frenzy, she cut the sleeves off all his shirts — In a fit of jealousy, she shredded the sleeves of his shirts.

But the word also has a second meaning: “annoyance that someone has what you yourself would like”. In other words, envy. The second word, envy, is also translated as “envy”.

He had always been very jealous of his brother’s success — He was always very jealous of his brother’s success.
Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has amassed — Some of his colleagues envy his enormous wealth.

4. Fewer and less

Less is used when we talk about something abstract and uncountable, or we don’t mention the exact amount.

I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than I used to — I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than usual.
We must try to spend less money — We must try to spend less money.

Few and fewer can be safely used when talking about specific numbers or something that can be accurately calculated.

Fewer than 3,500 tigers are left in the wild today — No more than three and a half thousand tigers live in the wild today.
We received far fewer complaints than expected — We received far fewer complaints than expected.

5. Disinterested and uninterested

It seems that both prefixes — dis- and un- — denote negation. And if so, then the meaning of the words is the same. But no. Disinterested translates to the Cambridge Dictionary: disinterested as «impartial.»

A disinterested observer / judgment

If we are talking about disinterest and indifference, it would be more correct to use the option uninterested.

He’s completely uninterested in sports — He’s completely uninterested in sports.

True, not all linguists are united on this issue. The compilers of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, for example, believe that these words can be synonymous.

6. Anxious and excited

In Russian, the word “worry” can be used not only in a negative way (“I’m terribly worried about you!”), But also in a positive way (“I was so excited when I received your letter!”). Perhaps this is why, when we speak English, we try to use anxious in similar cases. But this word is translated as «anxious, worried, nervous.»

It’s natural that you should feel anxious when you first leave home — It’s natural to be anxious when you first leave home.

If you are happy to see your friends, telling them that you are anxious to see them would be wrong. Excited is more appropriate here. By the way, the word anxious is also appropriate if we are impatient to do something or we are striving for something.

I’m anxious to get home to open my presents — I can’t wait to come home as soon as possible and open the presents.

7. Affect and effect

To deal with this dilemma, a simple hint can be used. Affect is almost always a verb, effect is a noun. Affect can be translated as «to influence, cause, lead to something.»

Factors that affect sleep include stress and many medical conditions — Causes that affect sleep include stress and various medical conditions.

Effect is, in fact, the effect or the result of some processes or events.

I’m suffering from the effects of too little sleep — I suffer from the effects of lack of sleep.

8. Among and between

Words are similar in meaning, but still not synonymous. Between translates as «between».

A narrow path runs between the two houses — A narrow path runs between the two houses.
The shop is closed for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30 — The shop is closed for lunch from half past twelve to half past one.

Among rather means «among», «one of».

The decision will not be popular among students — This decision will not be popular among students.
She divided the cake among the children — She divided the cake among the children.

If we are talking about specific people or objects, it is more appropriate to speak between, and if it is about indefinite or generalized — among.

9. Assure and ensure

She assured them, that she would be all right — She assured them that everything would be fine with her.

But ensure is appropriate to use when we ourselves want to make sure of something.

Please ensure that all examination papers have your name at the top — Please ensure that your examination papers are signed.

10. Then and than

She trained as a teacher and then became a lawyer — She studied to be a teacher, but then became a lawyer.

Than is a preposition, it is used for comparison.

It cost less than I expected — It cost less than I thought.

11. Lose and loose

I hope he doesn’t lose his job — I hope he doesn’t lose his job.

And loose translates as «relaxed», «free», «loose».

A loose dress / sweater — loose dress / sweater.

12. A lot and the lot

Here, in general, the difference is only in the article. But in English, even he can significantly change the meaning of a word. The noun lot together with the indefinite article a can be translated as «a lot», «a large number».

I’ve got a lot to do this morning — I have a lot to do this morning.

At the same time, the lot is a British colloquial element, which means not just «a lot», but «everything.»

I made enough curry for three people and he ate the lot — I cooked curry for three, and he ate it all alone.

13. Amount and number

What is the difference between fewer and less? — everything is simple

Rules of Use

For nouns that have both singular and plural, as well as when a noun / pronoun is only thought of, its presence becomes apparent from the context, the pronouns few / a few are used.

In this case, it does not matter at all how the noun forms its plural — for all these cases, the rule will act the same.

For example:

She went to the USA for a few months… — She went to America for several months.

Few of her friends had been in the USA… — Few of her friends were in America.

Example:

She stood in the USA a little last year… — Last year she spent a little time in America.

When she first came to the USA, she little thought that she would stay there so long. — When she first arrived in America, she never thought that she would stay there for so long.

Pronoun meaning (word translation)

As we noted, the pronouns few, little, a few, and a little are used to indicate not enough of something. The difference between them appears only in the context of their use with nouns.

So, few / a few is used with countable nouns, and little / a little — with those that have only a singular, or only a plural.

However, there are still some differences in meanings, which depend on the form in which the pronoun is used, and create some difference in translation.

Moreover, in the first case, the sentence will most likely contain a somewhat negative connotation, in the second — neutral:

I can’t help you. I speak very little English… — I cannot help you, I know very little English.

I can help you, I speak a little English… — I can help you, I speak a little English.

It would seem that in both cases the first part of the sentence implies the same thing — I do not speak English very well, my knowledge is hardly enough.

His English is intermediate, he forgets about his lessons. He has very little interest in languages… — His English is not above average, he forgets about his lessons. He has no interest in languages at all.
His English is intermediate, he coaches in it every weekends. He has a little interest in language. — His English is intermediate and he trains him every weekend. He has little interest in languages.
I didn’t read this book in original, I can say very little about it… — I have not read this book in the original, I can say very little about it.
I didn’t read this book in original, I can say a little about it… — I have not read this book in the original, but I can tell you a little about it.
Very few of his friends can speak English… — Almost none of his friends speak English.
A few of his friends can speak in English not bad at all. “Some of his friends don’t speak English bad at all.

Comparative and superlative

Like adjectives, quantitative pronouns in English can create degrees of comparison.

The pronouns few / a few form comparative and superlatives according to all the rules of the English language.

In the case of the pronouns little / a little, the situation is different:

few ⇒ fewer ⇒ the fewis — few ⇒ less ⇒ least
little ⇒ less ⇒ the least — little ⇒ less ⇒ least
a few / a little ⇒ more ⇒ the most — a little ⇒ more ⇒ most

Source: https://vseprostdo.ru/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less.html

What is the difference between fewer and less. use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

So, in English we use the word «few» when we mean extremely small the amount of something or the absence of something at all.

The word is translated as «very little«, I.e. «Not enough» at all. We use it, as a rule, when we are dealing with countable plural nouns, those objects and things that can be counted.

Few
Very little James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

In the above sentence, we used “few” to indicate that only two or three family members leave the city, most of the relatives remain in place.

However, if we used “a few«, Then the meaning would change:

A few members of James «family leave Pittsburgh and move to NY each year.
Some(a small number) of James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

An exception to the use of «a few» is the expression «quite a few«-«quite a bit of«,» A decent number «,» a lot. «

little / a little

In the first example, we say that we have a little time to prepare, but this time is still enough. In the second, we mean that there is time, but it is not enough to prepare thoroughly.

For a better understanding, you can compare these words with a glass of water.

If you need to focus on the fact that the glass is half full, then we say “littlewater ”(a little water, but enough in a glass).

If you want to emphasize that the glass is half empty, then “a little water ”(there is little water and not enough water in the glass).

Small

The adjective «small» translates as «small»/«small»/«небольшой«And is used when this is aboutthe size of

Source: https://film05.ru/bathroom/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less-ispolzovanie-slov-much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-i-plenty.html

Countable and uncountable nouns — video tutorial

That’s a lot of butter! — How much oil is there

Finding hundreds of pencils in a desk drawer, you say no Wow! That’s a lot of pencil !, a

That’s a lot of pencils! — Wow, how many pencils!

Uncountable nouns

They can be counted only in 3 cases:

— in the limitation of stick meters

a stick of butter — a pack of butter

— to distinguish between subspecies

3 butters — lime butter, pepper butter, chilly butter — 3 types of butter — lime, pepper, chili

— to mark packages in catering

Waiter, we need some more butters here — Waiter, more packs of butter here

Countable nouns

Countable nouns in English are subject-matter — they can always be counted, put in the plural, and numbered.

5 pencils — 5 pencils

2 cars — 2 cars

7 people — 7 people

3 children — 3 children

Quantitative nouns

There are quantitative nouns and pronouns that are combined with only 1 of 2 classes. So, an amount of requires an uncountable noun, and number of requires a countable noun.

a number of cows — several cows

less applause — less applause

less than 10 dollars — less than 10 dollars

In some illiterate supermarkets, you can see the inscription Less than 10 items express checkout. That’s right

Fewer than 10 items — Up to 10 purchases

Fun Facts

Dandelion root can be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute.

Source: https://www.lovelylanguage.ru/grammar/video-lessons/count-and-mass-nouns

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes

I love to lie down in front of the fire and read — I like to lie near the fireplace with a book.

But lie is an irregular verb, in the past tense it turns into lay.

The town lay in ruins — The town lay in ruins.

And this form is written and pronounced in the same way as an independent verb to lay. The main meaning of which is «to put».

She laid the baby on the bed — She laid the baby on the bed.

In a word, the confusion, of course, is utter, but if you look deeply into it and remember it once, it will be much easier to avoid mistakes.

2. Continual and continuous

These words can be called paronyms: they are spelled almost the same, but differ in meaning. Continual applies to repeated actions or events.

I’m sorry, I can’t work with these continual interruptions — Sorry, but I can’t work like that, I’m constantly interrupted.

But continuous is about something that lasts continuously.

He spoke continuously for more than two hours — He spoke without stopping for more than two hours.

3. Envy and jealous

Even philologists cannot always explain the difference between these words clearly. Dictionaries say that jealous is primarily about jealousy.

In a moment of jealous frenzy, she cut the sleeves off all his shirts — In a fit of jealousy, she shredded the sleeves of his shirts.

But the word has a second meaning: «annoyance because someone has what you yourself would like.» In other words, envy. It is how “envy” translates the second word, envy.

He had always been very jealous of his brother’s success — He was always very jealous of his brother’s success.
Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has amassed — Some of his colleagues envy his enormous wealth.

4. Fewer and less

Less is used when we are talking about something abstract and uncountable, or when we don’t mention the exact amount.

I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than I used to — I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than usual.
We must try to spend less money — We must try to spend less money.

Few and fewer can be safely used when talking about specific numbers or something that can be accurately calculated.

Fewer than 3,500 tigers are left in the wild today — No more than three and a half thousand tigers live in the wild today.
We received far fewer complaints than expected — We received far fewer complaints than expected.

5. Disinterested and uninterested

It seems that both prefixes — dis- and un- — denote negation. And if so, then the meaning of the words is the same. But no. Disinterested translates to impartial.

A disinterested observer / judgment

If we are talking about disinterest and indifference, it would be more correct to use the option uninterested.

He’s completely uninterested in sports — He’s completely uninterested in sports.

True, not all linguists are united on this issue. The compilers of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, for example, believe that these words can be synonymous.

6. Anxious and excited

It’s natural that you should feel anxious when you first leave home — It’s natural to be anxious when you first leave home.

I’m anxious to get home to open my presents — I can’t wait to come home as soon as possible and open the presents.

7. Affect and effect

To deal with this dilemma, a simple hint can be used. Affect is almost always a verb, effect is a noun. Affect can be translated as «influence, cause, lead to something.»

Factors that affect sleep include stress and many medical conditions — Causes that affect sleep include stress and various medical conditions.

Effect is, in fact, the effect or the result of some processes or events.

I’m suffering from the effects of too little sleep — I suffer from the effects of lack of sleep.

8. Among and between

Words are similar in meaning, but still not synonymous. Between translates as «between».

A narrow path runs between the two houses — A narrow path runs between the two houses.
The shop is closed for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30 — The shop is closed for lunch from half past twelve to half past one.

Among rather means «among», «one of».

The decision will not be popular among students — This decision will not be popular among students.
She divided the cake among the children — She divided the cake between the children.

If we are talking about specific people or objects, it is more appropriate to speak between, and if it is about indefinite or generalized — among.

9. Assure and ensure

She assured them, that she would be all right — She assured them that everything would be fine with her.

But ensure is appropriate to use when we ourselves want to make sure of something.

Please ensure that all examination papers have your name at the top — Please ensure that your examination papers are signed.

10. Then and than

She trained as a teacher and then became a lawyer — She studied to be a teacher, but then became a lawyer.

Than is a preposition, it is used for comparison.

It cost less than I expected — It cost less than I thought.

11. Lose and loose

I hope he doesn’t lose his job — I hope he doesn’t lose his job.

And loose translates as «relaxed», «free», «loose».

A loose dress / sweater — loose dress / sweater.

12. A lot and the lot

I’ve got a lot to do this morning — I have a lot to do this morning.

At the same time, the lot is a British colloquial element, which means not just «a lot», but «everything.»

I made enough curry for three people and he ate the lot — I cooked curry for three, and he ate it all alone.

13. Amount and number

The project will take a huge amount of time and money — This project will take a huge amount of time and money.
A small number of children are educated at home — A small number of children study at home.

UPD. Updated on October 25, 2019.

Source: `https://lifehacker.ru/20-oshibok-v-anglijskom-yazyke-kotorye-delaet-kazhdyj-iz-nas/`

13 Difficulties in English and How to Avoid Them

Incorrect use of apostrophes

Example: «The girl’s horse» — the horse belongs to the girl.

To indicate that an object belongs to several persons, the apostrophe must be placed after the end of «-s».

Example: «The girls’ horse» — the horse belongs to girls.

Your or you’re

“Your” is used when an object belongs to you.

Example: «Today is your lucky day» — Today is your lucky day.

“You’re” is used only as a shorthand for “you are”: pronoun “you” + verb “are”.

Example: “You’re beautiful” — You are beautiful.

There, their and they’re

“Their” indicates that the object belongs to others.

Example: «Can we use their boat?» — Can we use their boat?

“They’re” is a shorthand for “they are”: the pronoun “they” + the verb “are”.

Example: «They’re going to be here soon» — They will be here soon.

Fewer or less

“Fewer” is used with countable nouns, that is, words that can be counted: cake, piece, grains of sand.

Example: «Fewer grains of sand» — Fewer grains of sand.

“Less” is used with uncountable nouns, that is, those that cannot be counted: coffee, water, sand.

Example: «Less sand» — less sand.

Amount or number

The same rule applies here as in the previous example. “Number” is used with countable nouns: birds, tables, chairs.

Example: «A greater number of people» — More and more people.

“Amount” is used with uncountable nouns: water, sugar, sand.

Example: «A larger amount of water» — More water.

To, two and too

The words sound identical, which is confusing for English learners. By ear, you can distinguish them by understanding other words from the context and the general meaning of the statements.

“To” is the particle that is used to form the initial form of the verb: “to talk” — to speak. “To” is also used to mean “towards something”.

Example: «I’m going to town» — I’m going to town.

“Too” means “too”, “also”, “too”.

Example: «I’m too hot» — I’m too hot.

“Two” means “two”.

Example: «He bought two cakes» — He bought two cakes.

Then or than

“Then” and “than” are often confused not only because they sound similar, but also because they are written almost the same.

“Than” is used when we want to compare two objects.

Example: This dress is more beautiful than that one — This dress is more beautiful than that.

“Then” is used to indicate an event that will follow another, such as when making a plan or schedule.

Example: We’ll go to the cinema and then to the cafe — We will go to the cinema and then to the cafe.

Me, myself, I

To check which pronoun you need at the moment, “me” or “I”, remove the name of the person you are talking about and see which pronoun sounds more correct.

In the sentence “John and I are off to the circus” — “John and I are going to the circus” you are not only talking about yourself, so it is better to use the pronoun “I”.

«Me» can only be used when you talk about yourself as an object, that is, when an action is directed at you. Also, «me» is placed after the preposition, that is, you cannot say «with I», we say «with me».

Use the pronoun “myself” if you have already used the pronoun “I” or if you want to emphasize that you are doing an action on your own or in relation to only yourself.

Who or whom

Another tricky moment for people learning English.

“Who” refers to the one who performs the action.

Example: “Who did this? He did ”- Who did it? — He did it.

Whereas “whom” is used to refer to the object to which the action is directed.

Example: “Whom should I invite? Invite him ”. Who should I invite? — Invite him.

Who and that

Often, English learners use “that” instead of “who” or “whom,” which is incorrect. You cannot use “that” when you are talking about a person.

Example: “He was the only person who wanted to come” — He was the only one who wanted to come.

Affect or effect

The words are easy to get confused because they sound and spelled almost the same. But there is a simple rule to help you remember the difference between the two.

Example: “They were directly affected by the flooding” — The flood directly affected them.

Example: “He waited for the medicine to have an effect” — He expected the drug to be effective.

Ie or Eg

English learners often do not know the decoding of these abbreviations, so they use them incorrectly when writing.

Ie means “that is” or “in other words”, comes from the Latin expression “id est”.

Example: «He objects to the changes — ie he won’t be accepting them» — He objects to the changes, that is, he won’t accept them.

Eg means “for example,” comes from the Latin expression “exempli gratia”.

Example: “He d many different cheeses, eg cheddar, camembert and brie” — He liked many different cheeses, eg cheddar, camembert and brie.

Use these abbreviations only in informal correspondence. In official documents, it is better to write their values in expanded form: “for example” and “that is”.

Its or it’s

We wrote above that apostrophes are used to indicate that something belongs to someone or something, but there is an exception to the rule — the pronoun “it”.

“It’s” is used only as a shorthand for “it is” or “it has”. Example: “It’s snowing outside” — It is snowing outside.

“Its” denotes the belonging of an object to an inanimate object, animal or plant. As with “his” and “hers,” there is no apostrophe here.

Example: «The sofa looks great with its new cover» — The sofa looks great with its new cover.

We hope that this article has explained some of the difficulties of the English language and will serve you as an assistant in learning it!

Source: https://blog.teachmeplease.ru/posts/13-trudnostey-angliyskogo-yazyka

What is the difference between fewer and less. example sentences ca little. use of few, a few, little, a little

Use few

Pronunciation and translation:
Few / [fyu] — little

Meaning of the word:
Small amount

Few is used with (people, chairs, flowers, apples).

This word is used to emphasize a small amount of something or someone. That is, we say that we have not enough of something or someonefor a specific business.

Few has a negative meaning, we say that something is not enough and we regret it. For example, she had littleacquaintances in this city, that is, she lacked communication and was lonely.

This country has few natural resources.
This country has little natural resources.

Few politicians admit their mistakes.
Little politicians admit their mistakes.

Little

Pronunciation and translation:
Little [? L? Tl] / [little] — little

Meaning of the word:
Small amount

Little we use with items that we cannot count(time, money, water, sugar, salt).

This word has the same meaning as few, says that something or someone is not enough for some purpose. And a person is upset by such a small amount.

For example, he has little money, that is, he does not have enough money to buy groceries.

Addicting a few

Pronunciation and translation:
A few [? fju?] / [e fyu] — several

Meaning of the word:
A small amount of

A few, just like few is used with items that we can count.

For example, she had someacquaintances in this city, that is, she had someone to spend time with, this number of acquaintances was quite enough.

I have got a few suggestions.
I have some offers.

Source: https://draftee.ru/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less-primery-predlozhenii-c-a-little-upotreblenie-few-a-few/

Using less and fewer. Use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

Scheme of using quantifiers:

1. Little — few quantifiers

We use «a little»With uncountable nouns, for example: I have some money. This means: a certain amount, not a lot.

We use «a few»With countable plural nouns, for example:

I know a few words of French. This means: a certain amount, not a lot.

We can use «little» and «few» without «a«, But in this case it means» almost no «or» almost nothing «, for example: We must hurry, we have little time.

His English is very good and he makes few mistakes.

We can also say “very little» or «very few«(Very little), for example:

She is very thin because she eats very little. I made very few mistakes in the test.

And here are some more examples using «a little» and «a few«:

I hope you think these sentences will ensure that you will make very few mistakes when speaking English.

2. Quantifiers much — many — a lot of

USING much, many, a lot of. We use much with uncountable nouns, for example: a lot of time, a lot of coffee, a lot of money, a lot of sugar.

We use many with countable nouns, for example: many books, many months, many years, many friends.

We use a lot of both uncountable and countable nouns, for example: a lot of friends, a lot of sugar, a lot of photos, a lot of time. However, it is important to note that:

1. We use a lot of mostly in positive sentences, for example: I drink a lot of tea. She carries many books.

3. We can use lots of instead a lot of before countable nouns, for example: She has many friends.

4. We can use a lot without the noun and in this case we use it without a particle offor example: I ate a lot yesterday.

5. Sometimes much и a lot mean often, for example: Do you often go to the movies? — Not, no so much. Yes, I love movies; I go to the movies often.

What about you: have you read a lot of English books?

3. Quantifiers some — any

And here are some more examples of use Any и some: There is some oil in the refrigerator, but no milk at all. Are there eggs? — No, there are no eggs left. There are some pictures on the wall.

They didn’t make a single mistake. And what about you? Have you made mistakes? I hope you haven’t made any mistakes.

Few / few

So, in English we use the word «few» when we mean extremely small the amount of something or the absence of something at all.

The word is translated as «very little«, I.e. «Not enough» at all. We use it, as a rule, when we are dealing with countable plural nouns, those objects and things that can be counted.

Few
Very little James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

In the above sentence, we used “few” to indicate that only two or three family members leave the city, most of the relatives remain in place.

However, if we used “a few«, Then the meaning would change:

A few members of James «family leave Pittsburgh and move to NY each year.
Some(a small number) of James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

An exception to the use of «a few» is the expression «quite a few«-«quite a bit of«,» A decent number «,» a lot. «

little / a little

In the first example, we say that we have a little time to prepare, but this time is still enough. In the second, we mean that there is time, but it is not enough to prepare thoroughly.

For a better understanding, you can compare these words with a glass of water.

If you need to focus on the fact that the glass is half full, then we say “littlewater ”(a little water, but enough in a glass).

If you want to emphasize that the glass is half empty, then “a little water ”(there is little water and not enough water in the glass).

Small

The adjective «small» translates as «small»/«small»/«небольшой«And is used when this is aboutthe size of

Source: https://chaos-heart.ru/upotreblenie-less-i-fewer-ispolzovanie-slov-much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-i-plenty.html

The use of much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty

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This article will show you when and where to use much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty of in English.

The noun plays a key role in the choice of the defining word. The determiner depends on which noun is in front of us, countable (countable) or uncountable (uncountable). Once again, we recall that we can count countable nouns and they have a plural form (a boy — boys). And uncountable nouns do not have a plural form (water — some water), and we cannot count them.

We have divided all words into three groups depending on which noun they are used with. We will consider each group separately.

Much / Little Many / Few A lot of / Plenty of

Uncountable nouns	Countable nouns	Countable and uncountable nouns
How much money have you got? — How much money do you have? — There is little ink left in my pen.	I have many friends. — He has got few friends. — He has few friends.	There is a lot of sugar there. — There are plenty of plants in the garden. — There are many plants in the garden.

Many, few, a few with countable nouns

The opposite of many is few: few apples, few friends, few ideas. Few often have a negative meaning: very little, not enough, so little that practically none.

A few has an intermediate meaning between many and few, translated as «a few»: a few apples (a few apples), a few friends (a few friends), a few ideas (a few ideas).

Much, little, a little with uncountable nouns

Much stands for a large amount of something uncountable: much sugar, much milk, much time.

The opposite of much is little: little sugar, little milk, little time. Little, like few, means that something is not enough, very little.

A little means a small amount of something that cannot be counted: a little sugar, a little milk, a little time.

A lot of, plenty of — universal words

The words a lot of (many) and plenty of (many) are the most «convenient»: we can use them with both countable nouns and uncountable ones.

We bought lots of souvenirs and plenty of tea when we were on vacation in Sri Lanka. — We bought lot souvenirs and lots of tea when we were on vacation in Sri Lanka.

Features and exceptions

Much, many, few, little, a lot of with uncountable nouns
There are a number of nouns that seem to be countable, but in fact are not. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine the «countability» of a noun.

If you are not sure which noun is in front of you, it is better to check it in the dictionary.

Please note that in English, uncountable includes advice, news, work, money, research, travel, furniture.

They have much work to do. — They have lot work.

Source: https://engblog.ru/much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-plenty-usage

Less / Fewer

«Less» and «fewer»Both words indicate quantitative indicators. «Less«- the comparative form of the word»little«, but «fewer«Is the comparative form»few».

Little [ˈLɪtəl] — a little, a little.
Few [fju] — a little, a little.

we have less milk than I’d hoped. — We have less milk than I had hoped.
There are fewer people than I expected. — Of people lessthan I expected.

Less

We use «less«With uncountable nouns such as: Pollution (pollution), traffic (traffic), News (news), freedom (freedom).

there is less traffic and less pollution. — There less traffic and less pollution.
We’ve been receiving a lot less news since we switched TV providers. — We get much less news since we changed TV providers.
In more conservative societies, women have less freedom than they do here. — In more conservative societies, women have less freedom than here.

fewer

We use «fewer«With quantifiable nouns such as: restaurants (restaurants), cafes (Cafe), people (people), bags (bags).

There are fewer restaurants and fewer cafes. — Here less restaurants and cafes.
Fewer people came to the opening than we had expected! — It came to the opening less people than we expected!
There are new pills with fewer side effects. — There are new drugs with smaller the number of side effects.

An exception

When we talk about measurements of time, distance, weight and money, we use “less«.

It is less than six hours until my essay is due. — Until the delivery of the essay is left less six hours.
i live less than fifty miles from London. “I live less than fifty miles from London.

More articles about English

Source: https://english5minutes.ru/less-fewer/

Difference in the use of less and fewer in English

Why is it so easy to get confused when using «less» and «fewer» — two pointers to many English languages?

Difference between less and fewer in English

fewer

This is the comparative form of the demonstrative pronoun «few«- few; little, little. Used before countable nouns when indicating the reduction of the number of objects (elements).

Countable nouns are objects and concepts, the number of which can be counted. It is expressed in pieces, units (pieces, bottles, packs, boxes) and has the plural:

3 packets of yeast;
2 watermelons;
8 eggs;
6 tomatoes.

An amazing selection of products for a wonderful dinner.

Fewer people today carry cash. — Fewer people nowadays carry cash with them.

Less

This is the comparative form of the adverb «little«- a little, a little.

Used by:

when indicating a reduction in the number of items;
before uncountable nouns in the singular.

Uncountable nouns are objects and concepts, the number of which cannot be counted. It is expressed in terms of mass, volume, but in some cases it does not have a clear definition at all:

liquids: water (water), milk (milk), oil (oil), beer (beer);
products: cheese, bread, meat;
gaseous substances: smoke (smoke), air (air), oxygen (oxygen), hydrogen (hydrogen), nitrogen (nitrogen);
substances consisting of many small particles: flour (flour), rice (rice), dust (dust), ash (dust, ash, ash);
natural phenomena: snow (snow), light (light), rain (rain), wind (wind), fog (fog), heat (heat);
abstractions: happiness, health, education, space, work, energy, truth.

there is less privacy today because of social media. — Due to the proliferation of social networks, there is less privacy in our lives today.

Less and fewer in life

In everyday life in the United States, the word «less» is regularly misused. It applies not only to uncountable, but also countable nouns.

And this way you get more debt. So more debt and less work. Mitt Romney

The candidate made a reservation and used «less jobs» instead of «fewer jobs «(Less work, jobs).

Similarities between less and fewer

Less and fewer with of

It is necessary to substitute the preposition “of«Before defining words:

articles (a / an, the);
pronouns (him, it);
demonstrative pronouns (this, that);
possessive pronouns (my, her, our).

I have to spend less of my time playing computer games. — I should spend less time playing computer games.

Less without a noun

The noun after «less» or «fewer» can be omitted if it is clear what is meant.

— You bought 10 bottles of juice. — You bought 10 bottles of juice.

— No way! I am sure I bought fewer… — Can not be! I’m sure I bought less.

Use cases for less and fewer

Less, fewer and weight

The whole can also be calculated using grams, kilograms, but the habit is second nature and it tells native English speakers to use “less«Instead of» fewer «.

My weight was less than 8 pounds at birth. — At birth, my weight was less than 8 pounds.

Less, fewer and money

I have less than 50 bucks left in my account. — I have less than $ 50 left in my account.

You can still say — fewer than 50 bucks, but it will sound strange and unexpected to those around you.

Less, fewer and percent

Determining the right word for percentages can be problematic. To do this, you need to evaluate the whole picture and ask yourself «Is it possible to calculate what we are describing?»

Fewer than 13 percent of the US citizens have black skin. — Less than 13% of the US population is black.

Counting all citizens with a dark skin color is difficult, but doable. This means 13% is a calculated value.

On the other hand, it is impossible to count the unfinished juice.

It has left less than 30 percent juice in the pack. — The package contains less than 30% of the juice.

Less, fewer and time

It will also be common to use «less«When mentioning the time. We can count the time in seconds, minutes, hours, etc., but sentences are still built with «less».

I think they could spend less time at work. — I think they could spend less time at work.

I think they could spend fewer hours at work. — I think they could spend less hours at work.

Less or Fewer? — Short video tutorial

English subtitles are available in the video.

Less & Fewer.

Source: https://englishboost.ru/less-fewer-raznitsa/

«Little» in English

How do you say «little» in English? Find out in this article!

Source: https://enjoyenglish-blog.com/razgovornyj-anglijskij/malo-na-anglijskom.html

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes — News All Kharkiv

It doesn’t matter what level you have. Even native speakers are sometimes confused in these words.

1. Lay and lie

I love to lie down in front of the fire and read — I like to lie near the fireplace with a book.

But lie is an irregular verb, in the past tense it turns into lay.

The town lay in ruins — The town lay in ruins.

And this form is written and pronounced in the same way as an independent verb to lay. The main meaning of which is “to put”.

She laid the baby on the bed — She laid the baby on the bed.

In a word, the confusion, of course, is utter, but if you look deeply into it and remember it once, it will be much easier to avoid mistakes.

2. Continual and continuous

These words can be called paronyms: they are spelled almost the same, but differ in meaning. Continual applies to repeated actions or events.

I’m sorry, I can’t work with these continual interruptions — Sorry, but I can’t work like that, I’m constantly interrupted.

Continuous, on the other hand, is about something that lasts continuously.

He spoke continuously for more than two hours — He spoke without stopping for more than two hours.

3. Envy and jealous

Even philologists cannot always explain the difference between these words clearly. Dictionaries say that jealous is primarily about jealousy.

In a moment of jealous frenzy, she cut the sleeves off all his shirts — In a fit of jealousy, she shredded the sleeves of his shirts.

But the word also has a second meaning: “annoyance that someone has what you yourself would like”. In other words, envy. The second word, envy, is also translated as “envy”.

He had always been very jealous of his brother’s success — He was always very jealous of his brother’s success.
Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has amassed — Some of his colleagues envy his enormous wealth.

4. Fewer and less

Less is used when we talk about something abstract and uncountable, or we don’t mention the exact amount.

I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than I used to — I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than usual.
We must try to spend less money — We must try to spend less money.

Few and fewer can be safely used when talking about specific numbers or something that can be accurately calculated.

Fewer than 3,500 tigers are left in the wild today — No more than three and a half thousand tigers live in the wild today.
We received far fewer complaints than expected — We received far fewer complaints than expected.

5. Disinterested and uninterested

A disinterested observer / judgment

If we are talking about disinterest and indifference, it would be more correct to use the option uninterested.

He’s completely uninterested in sports — He’s completely uninterested in sports.

True, not all linguists are united on this issue. The compilers of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, for example, believe that these words can be synonymous.

6. Anxious and excited

It’s natural that you should feel anxious when you first leave home — It’s natural to be anxious when you first leave home.

I’m anxious to get home to open my presents — I can’t wait to come home as soon as possible and open the presents.

7. Affect and effect

To deal with this dilemma, a simple hint can be used. Affect is almost always a verb, effect is a noun. Affect can be translated as «to influence, cause, lead to something.»

Factors that affect sleep include stress and many medical conditions — Causes that affect sleep include stress and various medical conditions.

Effect is, in fact, the effect or the result of some processes or events.

I’m suffering from the effects of too little sleep — I suffer from the effects of lack of sleep.

8. Among and between

Words are similar in meaning, but still not synonymous. Between translates as «between».

A narrow path runs between the two houses — A narrow path runs between the two houses.
The shop is closed for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30 — The shop is closed for lunch from half past twelve to half past one.

Among rather means «among», «one of».

The decision will not be popular among students — This decision will not be popular among students.
She divided the cake among the children — She divided the cake among the children.

If we are talking about specific people or objects, it is more appropriate to speak between, and if it is about indefinite or generalized — among.

9. Assure and ensure

She assured them, that she would be all right — She assured them that everything would be fine with her.

But ensure is appropriate to use when we ourselves want to make sure of something.

Please ensure that all examination papers have your name at the top — Please ensure that your examination papers are signed.

10. Then and than

She trained as a teacher and then became a lawyer — She studied to be a teacher, but then became a lawyer.

Than is a preposition, it is used for comparison.

It cost less than I expected — It cost less than I thought.

11. Lose and loose

I hope he doesn’t lose his job — I hope he doesn’t lose his job.

And loose translates as «relaxed», «free», «loose».

A loose dress / sweater — loose dress / sweater.

12. A lot and the lot

I’ve got a lot to do this morning — I have a lot to do this morning.

At the same time, the lot is a British colloquial element, which means not just «a lot», but «everything.»

I made enough curry for three people and he ate the lot — I cooked curry for three, and he ate it all alone.

What is the difference between fewer and less? — everything is simple

Rules of Use

For nouns that have both singular and plural, as well as when a noun / pronoun is only thought of, its presence becomes apparent from the context, the pronouns few / a few are used.

In this case, it does not matter at all how the noun forms its plural — for all these cases, the rule will act the same.

For example:

She went to the USA for a few months… — She went to America for several months.

Few of her friends had been in the USA… — Few of her friends were in America.

Example:

She stood in the USA a little last year… — Last year she spent a little time in America.

When she first came to the USA, she little thought that she would stay there so long. — When she first arrived in America, she never thought that she would stay there for so long.

Pronoun meaning (word translation)

As we noted, the pronouns few, little, a few, and a little are used to indicate not enough of something. The difference between them appears only in the context of their use with nouns.

So, few / a few is used with countable nouns, and little / a little — with those that have only a singular, or only a plural.

However, there are still some differences in meanings, which depend on the form in which the pronoun is used, and create some difference in translation.

Moreover, in the first case, the sentence will most likely contain a somewhat negative connotation, in the second — neutral:

I can’t help you. I speak very little English… — I cannot help you, I know very little English.

I can help you, I speak a little English… — I can help you, I speak a little English.

It would seem that in both cases the first part of the sentence implies the same thing — I do not speak English very well, my knowledge is hardly enough.

His English is intermediate, he forgets about his lessons. He has very little interest in languages… — His English is not above average, he forgets about his lessons. He has no interest in languages at all.
His English is intermediate, he coaches in it every weekends. He has a little interest in language. — His English is intermediate and he trains him every weekend. He has little interest in languages.
I didn’t read this book in original, I can say very little about it… — I have not read this book in the original, I can say very little about it.
I didn’t read this book in original, I can say a little about it… — I have not read this book in the original, but I can tell you a little about it.
Very few of his friends can speak English… — Almost none of his friends speak English.
A few of his friends can speak in English not bad at all. “Some of his friends don’t speak English bad at all.

Comparative and superlative

Like adjectives, quantitative pronouns in English can create degrees of comparison.

The pronouns few / a few form comparative and superlatives according to all the rules of the English language.

In the case of the pronouns little / a little, the situation is different:

few ⇒ fewer ⇒ the fewis — few ⇒ less ⇒ least
little ⇒ less ⇒ the least — little ⇒ less ⇒ least
a few / a little ⇒ more ⇒ the most — a little ⇒ more ⇒ most

Source: https://vseprostdo.ru/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less.html

What is the difference between fewer and less. use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

So, in English we use the word «few» when we mean extremely small the amount of something or the absence of something at all.

The word is translated as «very little«, I.e. «Not enough» at all. We use it, as a rule, when we are dealing with countable plural nouns, those objects and things that can be counted.

Few
Very little James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

In the above sentence, we used “few” to indicate that only two or three family members leave the city, most of the relatives remain in place.

However, if we used “a few«, Then the meaning would change:

A few members of James «family leave Pittsburgh and move to NY each year.
Some(a small number) of James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

An exception to the use of «a few» is the expression «quite a few«-«quite a bit of«,» A decent number «,» a lot. «

little / a little

In the first example, we say that we have a little time to prepare, but this time is still enough. In the second, we mean that there is time, but it is not enough to prepare thoroughly.

For a better understanding, you can compare these words with a glass of water.

If you need to focus on the fact that the glass is half full, then we say “littlewater ”(a little water, but enough in a glass).

If you want to emphasize that the glass is half empty, then “a little water ”(there is little water and not enough water in the glass).

Small

The adjective «small» translates as «small»/«small»/«небольшой«And is used when this is aboutthe size of

Source: https://film05.ru/bathroom/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less-ispolzovanie-slov-much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-i-plenty.html

Countable and uncountable nouns — video tutorial

That’s a lot of butter! — How much oil is there

Finding hundreds of pencils in a desk drawer, you say no Wow! That’s a lot of pencil !, a

That’s a lot of pencils! — Wow, how many pencils!

Uncountable nouns

They can be counted only in 3 cases:

— in the limitation of stick meters

a stick of butter — a pack of butter

— to distinguish between subspecies

3 butters — lime butter, pepper butter, chilly butter — 3 types of butter — lime, pepper, chili

— to mark packages in catering

Waiter, we need some more butters here — Waiter, more packs of butter here

Countable nouns

Countable nouns in English are subject-matter — they can always be counted, put in the plural, and numbered.

5 pencils — 5 pencils

2 cars — 2 cars

7 people — 7 people

3 children — 3 children

Quantitative nouns

There are quantitative nouns and pronouns that are combined with only 1 of 2 classes. So, an amount of requires an uncountable noun, and number of requires a countable noun.

a number of cows — several cows

less applause — less applause

less than 10 dollars — less than 10 dollars

In some illiterate supermarkets, you can see the inscription Less than 10 items express checkout. That’s right

Fewer than 10 items — Up to 10 purchases

Fun Facts

Dandelion root can be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute.

Source: https://www.lovelylanguage.ru/grammar/video-lessons/count-and-mass-nouns

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes

I love to lie down in front of the fire and read — I like to lie near the fireplace with a book.

But lie is an irregular verb, in the past tense it turns into lay.

The town lay in ruins — The town lay in ruins.

And this form is written and pronounced in the same way as an independent verb to lay. The main meaning of which is «to put».

She laid the baby on the bed — She laid the baby on the bed.

In a word, the confusion, of course, is utter, but if you look deeply into it and remember it once, it will be much easier to avoid mistakes.

2. Continual and continuous

These words can be called paronyms: they are spelled almost the same, but differ in meaning. Continual applies to repeated actions or events.

I’m sorry, I can’t work with these continual interruptions — Sorry, but I can’t work like that, I’m constantly interrupted.

But continuous is about something that lasts continuously.

He spoke continuously for more than two hours — He spoke without stopping for more than two hours.

3. Envy and jealous

Even philologists cannot always explain the difference between these words clearly. Dictionaries say that jealous is primarily about jealousy.

In a moment of jealous frenzy, she cut the sleeves off all his shirts — In a fit of jealousy, she shredded the sleeves of his shirts.

But the word has a second meaning: «annoyance because someone has what you yourself would like.» In other words, envy. It is how “envy” translates the second word, envy.

He had always been very jealous of his brother’s success — He was always very jealous of his brother’s success.
Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has amassed — Some of his colleagues envy his enormous wealth.

4. Fewer and less

Less is used when we are talking about something abstract and uncountable, or when we don’t mention the exact amount.

I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than I used to — I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than usual.
We must try to spend less money — We must try to spend less money.

Few and fewer can be safely used when talking about specific numbers or something that can be accurately calculated.

Fewer than 3,500 tigers are left in the wild today — No more than three and a half thousand tigers live in the wild today.
We received far fewer complaints than expected — We received far fewer complaints than expected.

5. Disinterested and uninterested

It seems that both prefixes — dis- and un- — denote negation. And if so, then the meaning of the words is the same. But no. Disinterested translates to impartial.

A disinterested observer / judgment

If we are talking about disinterest and indifference, it would be more correct to use the option uninterested.

He’s completely uninterested in sports — He’s completely uninterested in sports.

True, not all linguists are united on this issue. The compilers of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, for example, believe that these words can be synonymous.

6. Anxious and excited

It’s natural that you should feel anxious when you first leave home — It’s natural to be anxious when you first leave home.

I’m anxious to get home to open my presents — I can’t wait to come home as soon as possible and open the presents.

7. Affect and effect

To deal with this dilemma, a simple hint can be used. Affect is almost always a verb, effect is a noun. Affect can be translated as «influence, cause, lead to something.»

Factors that affect sleep include stress and many medical conditions — Causes that affect sleep include stress and various medical conditions.

Effect is, in fact, the effect or the result of some processes or events.

I’m suffering from the effects of too little sleep — I suffer from the effects of lack of sleep.

8. Among and between

Words are similar in meaning, but still not synonymous. Between translates as «between».

A narrow path runs between the two houses — A narrow path runs between the two houses.
The shop is closed for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30 — The shop is closed for lunch from half past twelve to half past one.

Among rather means «among», «one of».

The decision will not be popular among students — This decision will not be popular among students.
She divided the cake among the children — She divided the cake between the children.

If we are talking about specific people or objects, it is more appropriate to speak between, and if it is about indefinite or generalized — among.

9. Assure and ensure

She assured them, that she would be all right — She assured them that everything would be fine with her.

But ensure is appropriate to use when we ourselves want to make sure of something.

Please ensure that all examination papers have your name at the top — Please ensure that your examination papers are signed.

10. Then and than

She trained as a teacher and then became a lawyer — She studied to be a teacher, but then became a lawyer.

Than is a preposition, it is used for comparison.

It cost less than I expected — It cost less than I thought.

11. Lose and loose

I hope he doesn’t lose his job — I hope he doesn’t lose his job.

And loose translates as «relaxed», «free», «loose».

A loose dress / sweater — loose dress / sweater.

12. A lot and the lot

I’ve got a lot to do this morning — I have a lot to do this morning.

At the same time, the lot is a British colloquial element, which means not just «a lot», but «everything.»

I made enough curry for three people and he ate the lot — I cooked curry for three, and he ate it all alone.

13. Amount and number

The project will take a huge amount of time and money — This project will take a huge amount of time and money.
A small number of children are educated at home — A small number of children study at home.

UPD. Updated on October 25, 2019.

Source: `https://lifehacker.ru/20-oshibok-v-anglijskom-yazyke-kotorye-delaet-kazhdyj-iz-nas/`

13 Difficulties in English and How to Avoid Them

Incorrect use of apostrophes

Example: «The girl’s horse» — the horse belongs to the girl.

To indicate that an object belongs to several persons, the apostrophe must be placed after the end of «-s».

Example: «The girls’ horse» — the horse belongs to girls.

Your or you’re

“Your” is used when an object belongs to you.

Example: «Today is your lucky day» — Today is your lucky day.

“You’re” is used only as a shorthand for “you are”: pronoun “you” + verb “are”.

Example: “You’re beautiful” — You are beautiful.

There, their and they’re

“Their” indicates that the object belongs to others.

Example: «Can we use their boat?» — Can we use their boat?

“They’re” is a shorthand for “they are”: the pronoun “they” + the verb “are”.

Example: «They’re going to be here soon» — They will be here soon.

Fewer or less

“Fewer” is used with countable nouns, that is, words that can be counted: cake, piece, grains of sand.

Example: «Fewer grains of sand» — Fewer grains of sand.

“Less” is used with uncountable nouns, that is, those that cannot be counted: coffee, water, sand.

Example: «Less sand» — less sand.

Amount or number

The same rule applies here as in the previous example. “Number” is used with countable nouns: birds, tables, chairs.

Example: «A greater number of people» — More and more people.

“Amount” is used with uncountable nouns: water, sugar, sand.

Example: «A larger amount of water» — More water.

To, two and too

The words sound identical, which is confusing for English learners. By ear, you can distinguish them by understanding other words from the context and the general meaning of the statements.

“To” is the particle that is used to form the initial form of the verb: “to talk” — to speak. “To” is also used to mean “towards something”.

Example: «I’m going to town» — I’m going to town.

“Too” means “too”, “also”, “too”.

Example: «I’m too hot» — I’m too hot.

“Two” means “two”.

Example: «He bought two cakes» — He bought two cakes.

Then or than

“Then” and “than” are often confused not only because they sound similar, but also because they are written almost the same.

“Than” is used when we want to compare two objects.

Example: This dress is more beautiful than that one — This dress is more beautiful than that.

“Then” is used to indicate an event that will follow another, such as when making a plan or schedule.

Example: We’ll go to the cinema and then to the cafe — We will go to the cinema and then to the cafe.

Me, myself, I

To check which pronoun you need at the moment, “me” or “I”, remove the name of the person you are talking about and see which pronoun sounds more correct.

In the sentence “John and I are off to the circus” — “John and I are going to the circus” you are not only talking about yourself, so it is better to use the pronoun “I”.

«Me» can only be used when you talk about yourself as an object, that is, when an action is directed at you. Also, «me» is placed after the preposition, that is, you cannot say «with I», we say «with me».

Use the pronoun “myself” if you have already used the pronoun “I” or if you want to emphasize that you are doing an action on your own or in relation to only yourself.

Who or whom

Another tricky moment for people learning English.

“Who” refers to the one who performs the action.

Example: “Who did this? He did ”- Who did it? — He did it.

Whereas “whom” is used to refer to the object to which the action is directed.

Example: “Whom should I invite? Invite him ”. Who should I invite? — Invite him.

Who and that

Often, English learners use “that” instead of “who” or “whom,” which is incorrect. You cannot use “that” when you are talking about a person.

Example: “He was the only person who wanted to come” — He was the only one who wanted to come.

Affect or effect

The words are easy to get confused because they sound and spelled almost the same. But there is a simple rule to help you remember the difference between the two.

Example: “They were directly affected by the flooding” — The flood directly affected them.

Example: “He waited for the medicine to have an effect” — He expected the drug to be effective.

Ie or Eg

English learners often do not know the decoding of these abbreviations, so they use them incorrectly when writing.

Ie means “that is” or “in other words”, comes from the Latin expression “id est”.

Example: «He objects to the changes — ie he won’t be accepting them» — He objects to the changes, that is, he won’t accept them.

Eg means “for example,” comes from the Latin expression “exempli gratia”.

Example: “He d many different cheeses, eg cheddar, camembert and brie” — He liked many different cheeses, eg cheddar, camembert and brie.

Use these abbreviations only in informal correspondence. In official documents, it is better to write their values in expanded form: “for example” and “that is”.

Its or it’s

We wrote above that apostrophes are used to indicate that something belongs to someone or something, but there is an exception to the rule — the pronoun “it”.

“It’s” is used only as a shorthand for “it is” or “it has”. Example: “It’s snowing outside” — It is snowing outside.

“Its” denotes the belonging of an object to an inanimate object, animal or plant. As with “his” and “hers,” there is no apostrophe here.

Example: «The sofa looks great with its new cover» — The sofa looks great with its new cover.

We hope that this article has explained some of the difficulties of the English language and will serve you as an assistant in learning it!

Source: https://blog.teachmeplease.ru/posts/13-trudnostey-angliyskogo-yazyka

What is the difference between fewer and less. example sentences ca little. use of few, a few, little, a little

Use few

Pronunciation and translation:
Few / [fyu] — little

Meaning of the word:
Small amount

Few is used with (people, chairs, flowers, apples).

This word is used to emphasize a small amount of something or someone. That is, we say that we have not enough of something or someonefor a specific business.

Few has a negative meaning, we say that something is not enough and we regret it. For example, she had littleacquaintances in this city, that is, she lacked communication and was lonely.

This country has few natural resources.
This country has little natural resources.

Few politicians admit their mistakes.
Little politicians admit their mistakes.

Little

Pronunciation and translation:
Little [? L? Tl] / [little] — little

Meaning of the word:
Small amount

Little we use with items that we cannot count(time, money, water, sugar, salt).

This word has the same meaning as few, says that something or someone is not enough for some purpose. And a person is upset by such a small amount.

For example, he has little money, that is, he does not have enough money to buy groceries.

Addicting a few

Pronunciation and translation:
A few [? fju?] / [e fyu] — several

Meaning of the word:
A small amount of

A few, just like few is used with items that we can count.

For example, she had someacquaintances in this city, that is, she had someone to spend time with, this number of acquaintances was quite enough.

I have got a few suggestions.
I have some offers.

Source: https://draftee.ru/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less-primery-predlozhenii-c-a-little-upotreblenie-few-a-few/

Using less and fewer. Use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

Scheme of using quantifiers:

1. Little — few quantifiers

We use «a little»With uncountable nouns, for example: I have some money. This means: a certain amount, not a lot.

We use «a few»With countable plural nouns, for example:

I know a few words of French. This means: a certain amount, not a lot.

We can use «little» and «few» without «a«, But in this case it means» almost no «or» almost nothing «, for example: We must hurry, we have little time.

His English is very good and he makes few mistakes.

We can also say “very little» or «very few«(Very little), for example:

She is very thin because she eats very little. I made very few mistakes in the test.

And here are some more examples using «a little» and «a few«:

I hope you think these sentences will ensure that you will make very few mistakes when speaking English.

2. Quantifiers much — many — a lot of

USING much, many, a lot of. We use much with uncountable nouns, for example: a lot of time, a lot of coffee, a lot of money, a lot of sugar.

We use many with countable nouns, for example: many books, many months, many years, many friends.

We use a lot of both uncountable and countable nouns, for example: a lot of friends, a lot of sugar, a lot of photos, a lot of time. However, it is important to note that:

1. We use a lot of mostly in positive sentences, for example: I drink a lot of tea. She carries many books.

3. We can use lots of instead a lot of before countable nouns, for example: She has many friends.

4. We can use a lot without the noun and in this case we use it without a particle offor example: I ate a lot yesterday.

5. Sometimes much и a lot mean often, for example: Do you often go to the movies? — Not, no so much. Yes, I love movies; I go to the movies often.

What about you: have you read a lot of English books?

3. Quantifiers some — any

And here are some more examples of use Any и some: There is some oil in the refrigerator, but no milk at all. Are there eggs? — No, there are no eggs left. There are some pictures on the wall.

They didn’t make a single mistake. And what about you? Have you made mistakes? I hope you haven’t made any mistakes.

Few / few

So, in English we use the word «few» when we mean extremely small the amount of something or the absence of something at all.

The word is translated as «very little«, I.e. «Not enough» at all. We use it, as a rule, when we are dealing with countable plural nouns, those objects and things that can be counted.

Few
Very little James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

In the above sentence, we used “few” to indicate that only two or three family members leave the city, most of the relatives remain in place.

However, if we used “a few«, Then the meaning would change:

A few members of James «family leave Pittsburgh and move to NY each year.
Some(a small number) of James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

An exception to the use of «a few» is the expression «quite a few«-«quite a bit of«,» A decent number «,» a lot. «

little / a little

In the first example, we say that we have a little time to prepare, but this time is still enough. In the second, we mean that there is time, but it is not enough to prepare thoroughly.

For a better understanding, you can compare these words with a glass of water.

If you need to focus on the fact that the glass is half full, then we say “littlewater ”(a little water, but enough in a glass).

If you want to emphasize that the glass is half empty, then “a little water ”(there is little water and not enough water in the glass).

Small

The adjective «small» translates as «small»/«small»/«небольшой«And is used when this is aboutthe size of

Source: https://chaos-heart.ru/upotreblenie-less-i-fewer-ispolzovanie-slov-much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-i-plenty.html

The use of much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty

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This article will show you when and where to use much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty of in English.

The noun plays a key role in the choice of the defining word. The determiner depends on which noun is in front of us, countable (countable) or uncountable (uncountable). Once again, we recall that we can count countable nouns and they have a plural form (a boy — boys). And uncountable nouns do not have a plural form (water — some water), and we cannot count them.

We have divided all words into three groups depending on which noun they are used with. We will consider each group separately.

Much / Little Many / Few A lot of / Plenty of

Uncountable nouns	Countable nouns	Countable and uncountable nouns
How much money have you got? — How much money do you have? — There is little ink left in my pen.	I have many friends. — He has got few friends. — He has few friends.	There is a lot of sugar there. — There are plenty of plants in the garden. — There are many plants in the garden.

Many, few, a few with countable nouns

The opposite of many is few: few apples, few friends, few ideas. Few often have a negative meaning: very little, not enough, so little that practically none.

A few has an intermediate meaning between many and few, translated as «a few»: a few apples (a few apples), a few friends (a few friends), a few ideas (a few ideas).

Much, little, a little with uncountable nouns

Much stands for a large amount of something uncountable: much sugar, much milk, much time.

The opposite of much is little: little sugar, little milk, little time. Little, like few, means that something is not enough, very little.

A little means a small amount of something that cannot be counted: a little sugar, a little milk, a little time.

A lot of, plenty of — universal words

The words a lot of (many) and plenty of (many) are the most «convenient»: we can use them with both countable nouns and uncountable ones.

We bought lots of souvenirs and plenty of tea when we were on vacation in Sri Lanka. — We bought lot souvenirs and lots of tea when we were on vacation in Sri Lanka.

Features and exceptions

Much, many, few, little, a lot of with uncountable nouns
There are a number of nouns that seem to be countable, but in fact are not. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine the «countability» of a noun.

If you are not sure which noun is in front of you, it is better to check it in the dictionary.

Please note that in English, uncountable includes advice, news, work, money, research, travel, furniture.

They have much work to do. — They have lot work.

Source: https://engblog.ru/much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-plenty-usage

Less / Fewer

«Less» and «fewer»Both words indicate quantitative indicators. «Less«- the comparative form of the word»little«, but «fewer«Is the comparative form»few».

Little [ˈLɪtəl] — a little, a little.
Few [fju] — a little, a little.

we have less milk than I’d hoped. — We have less milk than I had hoped.
There are fewer people than I expected. — Of people lessthan I expected.

Less

We use «less«With uncountable nouns such as: Pollution (pollution), traffic (traffic), News (news), freedom (freedom).

there is less traffic and less pollution. — There less traffic and less pollution.
We’ve been receiving a lot less news since we switched TV providers. — We get much less news since we changed TV providers.
In more conservative societies, women have less freedom than they do here. — In more conservative societies, women have less freedom than here.

fewer

We use «fewer«With quantifiable nouns such as: restaurants (restaurants), cafes (Cafe), people (people), bags (bags).

There are fewer restaurants and fewer cafes. — Here less restaurants and cafes.
Fewer people came to the opening than we had expected! — It came to the opening less people than we expected!
There are new pills with fewer side effects. — There are new drugs with smaller the number of side effects.

An exception

When we talk about measurements of time, distance, weight and money, we use “less«.

It is less than six hours until my essay is due. — Until the delivery of the essay is left less six hours.
i live less than fifty miles from London. “I live less than fifty miles from London.

More articles about English

Source: https://english5minutes.ru/less-fewer/

Difference in the use of less and fewer in English

Why is it so easy to get confused when using «less» and «fewer» — two pointers to many English languages?

Difference between less and fewer in English

fewer

This is the comparative form of the demonstrative pronoun «few«- few; little, little. Used before countable nouns when indicating the reduction of the number of objects (elements).

Countable nouns are objects and concepts, the number of which can be counted. It is expressed in pieces, units (pieces, bottles, packs, boxes) and has the plural:

3 packets of yeast;
2 watermelons;
8 eggs;
6 tomatoes.

An amazing selection of products for a wonderful dinner.

Fewer people today carry cash. — Fewer people nowadays carry cash with them.

Less

This is the comparative form of the adverb «little«- a little, a little.

Used by:

when indicating a reduction in the number of items;
before uncountable nouns in the singular.

Uncountable nouns are objects and concepts, the number of which cannot be counted. It is expressed in terms of mass, volume, but in some cases it does not have a clear definition at all:

liquids: water (water), milk (milk), oil (oil), beer (beer);
products: cheese, bread, meat;
gaseous substances: smoke (smoke), air (air), oxygen (oxygen), hydrogen (hydrogen), nitrogen (nitrogen);
substances consisting of many small particles: flour (flour), rice (rice), dust (dust), ash (dust, ash, ash);
natural phenomena: snow (snow), light (light), rain (rain), wind (wind), fog (fog), heat (heat);
abstractions: happiness, health, education, space, work, energy, truth.

there is less privacy today because of social media. — Due to the proliferation of social networks, there is less privacy in our lives today.

Less and fewer in life

In everyday life in the United States, the word «less» is regularly misused. It applies not only to uncountable, but also countable nouns.

And this way you get more debt. So more debt and less work. Mitt Romney

The candidate made a reservation and used «less jobs» instead of «fewer jobs «(Less work, jobs).

Similarities between less and fewer

Less and fewer with of

It is necessary to substitute the preposition “of«Before defining words:

articles (a / an, the);
pronouns (him, it);
demonstrative pronouns (this, that);
possessive pronouns (my, her, our).

I have to spend less of my time playing computer games. — I should spend less time playing computer games.

Less without a noun

The noun after «less» or «fewer» can be omitted if it is clear what is meant.

— You bought 10 bottles of juice. — You bought 10 bottles of juice.

— No way! I am sure I bought fewer… — Can not be! I’m sure I bought less.

Use cases for less and fewer

Less, fewer and weight

The whole can also be calculated using grams, kilograms, but the habit is second nature and it tells native English speakers to use “less«Instead of» fewer «.

My weight was less than 8 pounds at birth. — At birth, my weight was less than 8 pounds.

Less, fewer and money

I have less than 50 bucks left in my account. — I have less than $ 50 left in my account.

You can still say — fewer than 50 bucks, but it will sound strange and unexpected to those around you.

Less, fewer and percent

Determining the right word for percentages can be problematic. To do this, you need to evaluate the whole picture and ask yourself «Is it possible to calculate what we are describing?»

Fewer than 13 percent of the US citizens have black skin. — Less than 13% of the US population is black.

Counting all citizens with a dark skin color is difficult, but doable. This means 13% is a calculated value.

On the other hand, it is impossible to count the unfinished juice.

It has left less than 30 percent juice in the pack. — The package contains less than 30% of the juice.

Less, fewer and time

It will also be common to use «less«When mentioning the time. We can count the time in seconds, minutes, hours, etc., but sentences are still built with «less».

I think they could spend less time at work. — I think they could spend less time at work.

I think they could spend fewer hours at work. — I think they could spend less hours at work.

Less or Fewer? — Short video tutorial

English subtitles are available in the video.

Less & Fewer.

Source: https://englishboost.ru/less-fewer-raznitsa/

«Little» in English

How do you say «little» in English? Find out in this article!

Source: https://enjoyenglish-blog.com/razgovornyj-anglijskij/malo-na-anglijskom.html

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes — News All Kharkiv

It doesn’t matter what level you have. Even native speakers are sometimes confused in these words.

1. Lay and lie

I love to lie down in front of the fire and read — I like to lie near the fireplace with a book.

But lie is an irregular verb, in the past tense it turns into lay.

The town lay in ruins — The town lay in ruins.

And this form is written and pronounced in the same way as an independent verb to lay. The main meaning of which is “to put”.

She laid the baby on the bed — She laid the baby on the bed.

In a word, the confusion, of course, is utter, but if you look deeply into it and remember it once, it will be much easier to avoid mistakes.

2. Continual and continuous

These words can be called paronyms: they are spelled almost the same, but differ in meaning. Continual applies to repeated actions or events.

I’m sorry, I can’t work with these continual interruptions — Sorry, but I can’t work like that, I’m constantly interrupted.

Continuous, on the other hand, is about something that lasts continuously.

He spoke continuously for more than two hours — He spoke without stopping for more than two hours.

3. Envy and jealous

Even philologists cannot always explain the difference between these words clearly. Dictionaries say that jealous is primarily about jealousy.

In a moment of jealous frenzy, she cut the sleeves off all his shirts — In a fit of jealousy, she shredded the sleeves of his shirts.

But the word also has a second meaning: “annoyance that someone has what you yourself would like”. In other words, envy. The second word, envy, is also translated as “envy”.

He had always been very jealous of his brother’s success — He was always very jealous of his brother’s success.
Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has amassed — Some of his colleagues envy his enormous wealth.

4. Fewer and less

Less is used when we talk about something abstract and uncountable, or we don’t mention the exact amount.

I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than I used to — I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than usual.
We must try to spend less money — We must try to spend less money.

Few and fewer can be safely used when talking about specific numbers or something that can be accurately calculated.

Fewer than 3,500 tigers are left in the wild today — No more than three and a half thousand tigers live in the wild today.
We received far fewer complaints than expected — We received far fewer complaints than expected.

5. Disinterested and uninterested

A disinterested observer / judgment

If we are talking about disinterest and indifference, it would be more correct to use the option uninterested.

He’s completely uninterested in sports — He’s completely uninterested in sports.

True, not all linguists are united on this issue. The compilers of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, for example, believe that these words can be synonymous.

6. Anxious and excited

It’s natural that you should feel anxious when you first leave home — It’s natural to be anxious when you first leave home.

I’m anxious to get home to open my presents — I can’t wait to come home as soon as possible and open the presents.

7. Affect and effect

To deal with this dilemma, a simple hint can be used. Affect is almost always a verb, effect is a noun. Affect can be translated as «to influence, cause, lead to something.»

Factors that affect sleep include stress and many medical conditions — Causes that affect sleep include stress and various medical conditions.

Effect is, in fact, the effect or the result of some processes or events.

I’m suffering from the effects of too little sleep — I suffer from the effects of lack of sleep.

8. Among and between

Words are similar in meaning, but still not synonymous. Between translates as «between».

A narrow path runs between the two houses — A narrow path runs between the two houses.
The shop is closed for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30 — The shop is closed for lunch from half past twelve to half past one.

Among rather means «among», «one of».

The decision will not be popular among students — This decision will not be popular among students.
She divided the cake among the children — She divided the cake among the children.

If we are talking about specific people or objects, it is more appropriate to speak between, and if it is about indefinite or generalized — among.

9. Assure and ensure

She assured them, that she would be all right — She assured them that everything would be fine with her.

But ensure is appropriate to use when we ourselves want to make sure of something.

Please ensure that all examination papers have your name at the top — Please ensure that your examination papers are signed.

10. Then and than

She trained as a teacher and then became a lawyer — She studied to be a teacher, but then became a lawyer.

Than is a preposition, it is used for comparison.

It cost less than I expected — It cost less than I thought.

11. Lose and loose

I hope he doesn’t lose his job — I hope he doesn’t lose his job.

And loose translates as «relaxed», «free», «loose».

A loose dress / sweater — loose dress / sweater.

12. A lot and the lot

I’ve got a lot to do this morning — I have a lot to do this morning.

At the same time, the lot is a British colloquial element, which means not just «a lot», but «everything.»

I made enough curry for three people and he ate the lot — I cooked curry for three, and he ate it all alone.

13. Amount and number

What is the difference between fewer and less? — everything is simple

Rules of Use

For nouns that have both singular and plural, as well as when a noun / pronoun is only thought of, its presence becomes apparent from the context, the pronouns few / a few are used.

In this case, it does not matter at all how the noun forms its plural — for all these cases, the rule will act the same.

For example:

She went to the USA for a few months… — She went to America for several months.

Few of her friends had been in the USA… — Few of her friends were in America.

Example:

She stood in the USA a little last year… — Last year she spent a little time in America.

When she first came to the USA, she little thought that she would stay there so long. — When she first arrived in America, she never thought that she would stay there for so long.

Pronoun meaning (word translation)

As we noted, the pronouns few, little, a few, and a little are used to indicate not enough of something. The difference between them appears only in the context of their use with nouns.

So, few / a few is used with countable nouns, and little / a little — with those that have only a singular, or only a plural.

However, there are still some differences in meanings, which depend on the form in which the pronoun is used, and create some difference in translation.

Moreover, in the first case, the sentence will most likely contain a somewhat negative connotation, in the second — neutral:

I can’t help you. I speak very little English… — I cannot help you, I know very little English.

I can help you, I speak a little English… — I can help you, I speak a little English.

It would seem that in both cases the first part of the sentence implies the same thing — I do not speak English very well, my knowledge is hardly enough.

His English is intermediate, he forgets about his lessons. He has very little interest in languages… — His English is not above average, he forgets about his lessons. He has no interest in languages at all.
His English is intermediate, he coaches in it every weekends. He has a little interest in language. — His English is intermediate and he trains him every weekend. He has little interest in languages.
I didn’t read this book in original, I can say very little about it… — I have not read this book in the original, I can say very little about it.
I didn’t read this book in original, I can say a little about it… — I have not read this book in the original, but I can tell you a little about it.
Very few of his friends can speak English… — Almost none of his friends speak English.
A few of his friends can speak in English not bad at all. “Some of his friends don’t speak English bad at all.

Comparative and superlative

Like adjectives, quantitative pronouns in English can create degrees of comparison.

The pronouns few / a few form comparative and superlatives according to all the rules of the English language.

In the case of the pronouns little / a little, the situation is different:

few ⇒ fewer ⇒ the fewis — few ⇒ less ⇒ least
little ⇒ less ⇒ the least — little ⇒ less ⇒ least
a few / a little ⇒ more ⇒ the most — a little ⇒ more ⇒ most

Source: https://vseprostdo.ru/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less.html

What is the difference between fewer and less. use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

So, in English we use the word «few» when we mean extremely small the amount of something or the absence of something at all.

The word is translated as «very little«, I.e. «Not enough» at all. We use it, as a rule, when we are dealing with countable plural nouns, those objects and things that can be counted.

Few
Very little James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

In the above sentence, we used “few” to indicate that only two or three family members leave the city, most of the relatives remain in place.

However, if we used “a few«, Then the meaning would change:

A few members of James «family leave Pittsburgh and move to NY each year.
Some(a small number) of James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

An exception to the use of «a few» is the expression «quite a few«-«quite a bit of«,» A decent number «,» a lot. «

little / a little

In the first example, we say that we have a little time to prepare, but this time is still enough. In the second, we mean that there is time, but it is not enough to prepare thoroughly.

For a better understanding, you can compare these words with a glass of water.

If you need to focus on the fact that the glass is half full, then we say “littlewater ”(a little water, but enough in a glass).

If you want to emphasize that the glass is half empty, then “a little water ”(there is little water and not enough water in the glass).

Small

The adjective «small» translates as «small»/«small»/«небольшой«And is used when this is aboutthe size of

Source: https://film05.ru/bathroom/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less-ispolzovanie-slov-much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-i-plenty.html

Countable and uncountable nouns — video tutorial

That’s a lot of butter! — How much oil is there

Finding hundreds of pencils in a desk drawer, you say no Wow! That’s a lot of pencil !, a

That’s a lot of pencils! — Wow, how many pencils!

Uncountable nouns

They can be counted only in 3 cases:

— in the limitation of stick meters

a stick of butter — a pack of butter

— to distinguish between subspecies

3 butters — lime butter, pepper butter, chilly butter — 3 types of butter — lime, pepper, chili

— to mark packages in catering

Waiter, we need some more butters here — Waiter, more packs of butter here

Countable nouns

Countable nouns in English are subject-matter — they can always be counted, put in the plural, and numbered.

5 pencils — 5 pencils

2 cars — 2 cars

7 people — 7 people

3 children — 3 children

Quantitative nouns

There are quantitative nouns and pronouns that are combined with only 1 of 2 classes. So, an amount of requires an uncountable noun, and number of requires a countable noun.

a number of cows — several cows

less applause — less applause

less than 10 dollars — less than 10 dollars

In some illiterate supermarkets, you can see the inscription Less than 10 items express checkout. That’s right

Fewer than 10 items — Up to 10 purchases

Fun Facts

Dandelion root can be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute.

Source: https://www.lovelylanguage.ru/grammar/video-lessons/count-and-mass-nouns

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes

I love to lie down in front of the fire and read — I like to lie near the fireplace with a book.

But lie is an irregular verb, in the past tense it turns into lay.

The town lay in ruins — The town lay in ruins.

And this form is written and pronounced in the same way as an independent verb to lay. The main meaning of which is «to put».

She laid the baby on the bed — She laid the baby on the bed.

In a word, the confusion, of course, is utter, but if you look deeply into it and remember it once, it will be much easier to avoid mistakes.

2. Continual and continuous

These words can be called paronyms: they are spelled almost the same, but differ in meaning. Continual applies to repeated actions or events.

I’m sorry, I can’t work with these continual interruptions — Sorry, but I can’t work like that, I’m constantly interrupted.

But continuous is about something that lasts continuously.

He spoke continuously for more than two hours — He spoke without stopping for more than two hours.

3. Envy and jealous

Even philologists cannot always explain the difference between these words clearly. Dictionaries say that jealous is primarily about jealousy.

In a moment of jealous frenzy, she cut the sleeves off all his shirts — In a fit of jealousy, she shredded the sleeves of his shirts.

But the word has a second meaning: «annoyance because someone has what you yourself would like.» In other words, envy. It is how “envy” translates the second word, envy.

He had always been very jealous of his brother’s success — He was always very jealous of his brother’s success.
Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has amassed — Some of his colleagues envy his enormous wealth.

4. Fewer and less

Less is used when we are talking about something abstract and uncountable, or when we don’t mention the exact amount.

I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than I used to — I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than usual.
We must try to spend less money — We must try to spend less money.

Few and fewer can be safely used when talking about specific numbers or something that can be accurately calculated.

Fewer than 3,500 tigers are left in the wild today — No more than three and a half thousand tigers live in the wild today.
We received far fewer complaints than expected — We received far fewer complaints than expected.

5. Disinterested and uninterested

It seems that both prefixes — dis- and un- — denote negation. And if so, then the meaning of the words is the same. But no. Disinterested translates to impartial.

A disinterested observer / judgment

If we are talking about disinterest and indifference, it would be more correct to use the option uninterested.

He’s completely uninterested in sports — He’s completely uninterested in sports.

True, not all linguists are united on this issue. The compilers of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, for example, believe that these words can be synonymous.

6. Anxious and excited

It’s natural that you should feel anxious when you first leave home — It’s natural to be anxious when you first leave home.

I’m anxious to get home to open my presents — I can’t wait to come home as soon as possible and open the presents.

7. Affect and effect

To deal with this dilemma, a simple hint can be used. Affect is almost always a verb, effect is a noun. Affect can be translated as «influence, cause, lead to something.»

Factors that affect sleep include stress and many medical conditions — Causes that affect sleep include stress and various medical conditions.

Effect is, in fact, the effect or the result of some processes or events.

I’m suffering from the effects of too little sleep — I suffer from the effects of lack of sleep.

8. Among and between

Words are similar in meaning, but still not synonymous. Between translates as «between».

A narrow path runs between the two houses — A narrow path runs between the two houses.
The shop is closed for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30 — The shop is closed for lunch from half past twelve to half past one.

Among rather means «among», «one of».

The decision will not be popular among students — This decision will not be popular among students.
She divided the cake among the children — She divided the cake between the children.

If we are talking about specific people or objects, it is more appropriate to speak between, and if it is about indefinite or generalized — among.

9. Assure and ensure

She assured them, that she would be all right — She assured them that everything would be fine with her.

But ensure is appropriate to use when we ourselves want to make sure of something.

Please ensure that all examination papers have your name at the top — Please ensure that your examination papers are signed.

10. Then and than

She trained as a teacher and then became a lawyer — She studied to be a teacher, but then became a lawyer.

Than is a preposition, it is used for comparison.

It cost less than I expected — It cost less than I thought.

11. Lose and loose

I hope he doesn’t lose his job — I hope he doesn’t lose his job.

And loose translates as «relaxed», «free», «loose».

A loose dress / sweater — loose dress / sweater.

12. A lot and the lot

I’ve got a lot to do this morning — I have a lot to do this morning.

At the same time, the lot is a British colloquial element, which means not just «a lot», but «everything.»

I made enough curry for three people and he ate the lot — I cooked curry for three, and he ate it all alone.

13. Amount and number

The project will take a huge amount of time and money — This project will take a huge amount of time and money.
A small number of children are educated at home — A small number of children study at home.

UPD. Updated on October 25, 2019.

Source: `https://lifehacker.ru/20-oshibok-v-anglijskom-yazyke-kotorye-delaet-kazhdyj-iz-nas/`

13 Difficulties in English and How to Avoid Them

Incorrect use of apostrophes

Example: «The girl’s horse» — the horse belongs to the girl.

To indicate that an object belongs to several persons, the apostrophe must be placed after the end of «-s».

Example: «The girls’ horse» — the horse belongs to girls.

Your or you’re

“Your” is used when an object belongs to you.

Example: «Today is your lucky day» — Today is your lucky day.

“You’re” is used only as a shorthand for “you are”: pronoun “you” + verb “are”.

Example: “You’re beautiful” — You are beautiful.

There, their and they’re

“Their” indicates that the object belongs to others.

Example: «Can we use their boat?» — Can we use their boat?

“They’re” is a shorthand for “they are”: the pronoun “they” + the verb “are”.

Example: «They’re going to be here soon» — They will be here soon.

Fewer or less

“Fewer” is used with countable nouns, that is, words that can be counted: cake, piece, grains of sand.

Example: «Fewer grains of sand» — Fewer grains of sand.

“Less” is used with uncountable nouns, that is, those that cannot be counted: coffee, water, sand.

Example: «Less sand» — less sand.

Amount or number

The same rule applies here as in the previous example. “Number” is used with countable nouns: birds, tables, chairs.

Example: «A greater number of people» — More and more people.

“Amount” is used with uncountable nouns: water, sugar, sand.

Example: «A larger amount of water» — More water.

To, two and too

The words sound identical, which is confusing for English learners. By ear, you can distinguish them by understanding other words from the context and the general meaning of the statements.

“To” is the particle that is used to form the initial form of the verb: “to talk” — to speak. “To” is also used to mean “towards something”.

Example: «I’m going to town» — I’m going to town.

“Too” means “too”, “also”, “too”.

Example: «I’m too hot» — I’m too hot.

“Two” means “two”.

Example: «He bought two cakes» — He bought two cakes.

Then or than

“Then” and “than” are often confused not only because they sound similar, but also because they are written almost the same.

“Than” is used when we want to compare two objects.

Example: This dress is more beautiful than that one — This dress is more beautiful than that.

“Then” is used to indicate an event that will follow another, such as when making a plan or schedule.

Example: We’ll go to the cinema and then to the cafe — We will go to the cinema and then to the cafe.

Me, myself, I

To check which pronoun you need at the moment, “me” or “I”, remove the name of the person you are talking about and see which pronoun sounds more correct.

In the sentence “John and I are off to the circus” — “John and I are going to the circus” you are not only talking about yourself, so it is better to use the pronoun “I”.

«Me» can only be used when you talk about yourself as an object, that is, when an action is directed at you. Also, «me» is placed after the preposition, that is, you cannot say «with I», we say «with me».

Use the pronoun “myself” if you have already used the pronoun “I” or if you want to emphasize that you are doing an action on your own or in relation to only yourself.

Who or whom

Another tricky moment for people learning English.

“Who” refers to the one who performs the action.

Example: “Who did this? He did ”- Who did it? — He did it.

Whereas “whom” is used to refer to the object to which the action is directed.

Example: “Whom should I invite? Invite him ”. Who should I invite? — Invite him.

Who and that

Often, English learners use “that” instead of “who” or “whom,” which is incorrect. You cannot use “that” when you are talking about a person.

Example: “He was the only person who wanted to come” — He was the only one who wanted to come.

Affect or effect

The words are easy to get confused because they sound and spelled almost the same. But there is a simple rule to help you remember the difference between the two.

Example: “They were directly affected by the flooding” — The flood directly affected them.

Example: “He waited for the medicine to have an effect” — He expected the drug to be effective.

Ie or Eg

English learners often do not know the decoding of these abbreviations, so they use them incorrectly when writing.

Ie means “that is” or “in other words”, comes from the Latin expression “id est”.

Example: «He objects to the changes — ie he won’t be accepting them» — He objects to the changes, that is, he won’t accept them.

Eg means “for example,” comes from the Latin expression “exempli gratia”.

Example: “He d many different cheeses, eg cheddar, camembert and brie” — He liked many different cheeses, eg cheddar, camembert and brie.

Use these abbreviations only in informal correspondence. In official documents, it is better to write their values in expanded form: “for example” and “that is”.

Its or it’s

We wrote above that apostrophes are used to indicate that something belongs to someone or something, but there is an exception to the rule — the pronoun “it”.

“It’s” is used only as a shorthand for “it is” or “it has”. Example: “It’s snowing outside” — It is snowing outside.

“Its” denotes the belonging of an object to an inanimate object, animal or plant. As with “his” and “hers,” there is no apostrophe here.

Example: «The sofa looks great with its new cover» — The sofa looks great with its new cover.

We hope that this article has explained some of the difficulties of the English language and will serve you as an assistant in learning it!

Source: https://blog.teachmeplease.ru/posts/13-trudnostey-angliyskogo-yazyka

What is the difference between fewer and less. example sentences ca little. use of few, a few, little, a little

Use few

Pronunciation and translation:
Few / [fyu] — little

Meaning of the word:
Small amount

Few is used with (people, chairs, flowers, apples).

This word is used to emphasize a small amount of something or someone. That is, we say that we have not enough of something or someonefor a specific business.

Few has a negative meaning, we say that something is not enough and we regret it. For example, she had littleacquaintances in this city, that is, she lacked communication and was lonely.

This country has few natural resources.
This country has little natural resources.

Few politicians admit their mistakes.
Little politicians admit their mistakes.

Little

Pronunciation and translation:
Little [? L? Tl] / [little] — little

Meaning of the word:
Small amount

Little we use with items that we cannot count(time, money, water, sugar, salt).

This word has the same meaning as few, says that something or someone is not enough for some purpose. And a person is upset by such a small amount.

For example, he has little money, that is, he does not have enough money to buy groceries.

Addicting a few

Pronunciation and translation:
A few [? fju?] / [e fyu] — several

Meaning of the word:
A small amount of

A few, just like few is used with items that we can count.

For example, she had someacquaintances in this city, that is, she had someone to spend time with, this number of acquaintances was quite enough.

I have got a few suggestions.
I have some offers.

Source: https://draftee.ru/v-chem-raznica-mezhdu-fewer-i-less-primery-predlozhenii-c-a-little-upotreblenie-few-a-few/

Using less and fewer. Use of the words much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of

Scheme of using quantifiers:

1. Little — few quantifiers

We use «a little»With uncountable nouns, for example: I have some money. This means: a certain amount, not a lot.

We use «a few»With countable plural nouns, for example:

I know a few words of French. This means: a certain amount, not a lot.

We can use «little» and «few» without «a«, But in this case it means» almost no «or» almost nothing «, for example: We must hurry, we have little time.

His English is very good and he makes few mistakes.

We can also say “very little» or «very few«(Very little), for example:

She is very thin because she eats very little. I made very few mistakes in the test.

And here are some more examples using «a little» and «a few«:

I hope you think these sentences will ensure that you will make very few mistakes when speaking English.

2. Quantifiers much — many — a lot of

USING much, many, a lot of. We use much with uncountable nouns, for example: a lot of time, a lot of coffee, a lot of money, a lot of sugar.

We use many with countable nouns, for example: many books, many months, many years, many friends.

We use a lot of both uncountable and countable nouns, for example: a lot of friends, a lot of sugar, a lot of photos, a lot of time. However, it is important to note that:

1. We use a lot of mostly in positive sentences, for example: I drink a lot of tea. She carries many books.

3. We can use lots of instead a lot of before countable nouns, for example: She has many friends.

4. We can use a lot without the noun and in this case we use it without a particle offor example: I ate a lot yesterday.

5. Sometimes much и a lot mean often, for example: Do you often go to the movies? — Not, no so much. Yes, I love movies; I go to the movies often.

What about you: have you read a lot of English books?

3. Quantifiers some — any

And here are some more examples of use Any и some: There is some oil in the refrigerator, but no milk at all. Are there eggs? — No, there are no eggs left. There are some pictures on the wall.

They didn’t make a single mistake. And what about you? Have you made mistakes? I hope you haven’t made any mistakes.

Few / few

So, in English we use the word «few» when we mean extremely small the amount of something or the absence of something at all.

The word is translated as «very little«, I.e. «Not enough» at all. We use it, as a rule, when we are dealing with countable plural nouns, those objects and things that can be counted.

Few
Very little James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

In the above sentence, we used “few” to indicate that only two or three family members leave the city, most of the relatives remain in place.

However, if we used “a few«, Then the meaning would change:

A few members of James «family leave Pittsburgh and move to NY each year.
Some(a small number) of James’s family members leave Pittsburgh and move to New York every year.

An exception to the use of «a few» is the expression «quite a few«-«quite a bit of«,» A decent number «,» a lot. «

little / a little

In the first example, we say that we have a little time to prepare, but this time is still enough. In the second, we mean that there is time, but it is not enough to prepare thoroughly.

For a better understanding, you can compare these words with a glass of water.

If you need to focus on the fact that the glass is half full, then we say “littlewater ”(a little water, but enough in a glass).

If you want to emphasize that the glass is half empty, then “a little water ”(there is little water and not enough water in the glass).

Small

The adjective «small» translates as «small»/«small»/«небольшой«And is used when this is aboutthe size of

Source: https://chaos-heart.ru/upotreblenie-less-i-fewer-ispolzovanie-slov-much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-i-plenty.html

The use of much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty

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This article will show you when and where to use much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty of in English.

The noun plays a key role in the choice of the defining word. The determiner depends on which noun is in front of us, countable (countable) or uncountable (uncountable). Once again, we recall that we can count countable nouns and they have a plural form (a boy — boys). And uncountable nouns do not have a plural form (water — some water), and we cannot count them.

We have divided all words into three groups depending on which noun they are used with. We will consider each group separately.

Much / Little Many / Few A lot of / Plenty of

Uncountable nouns	Countable nouns	Countable and uncountable nouns
How much money have you got? — How much money do you have? — There is little ink left in my pen.	I have many friends. — He has got few friends. — He has few friends.	There is a lot of sugar there. — There are plenty of plants in the garden. — There are many plants in the garden.

Many, few, a few with countable nouns

The opposite of many is few: few apples, few friends, few ideas. Few often have a negative meaning: very little, not enough, so little that practically none.

A few has an intermediate meaning between many and few, translated as «a few»: a few apples (a few apples), a few friends (a few friends), a few ideas (a few ideas).

Much, little, a little with uncountable nouns

Much stands for a large amount of something uncountable: much sugar, much milk, much time.

The opposite of much is little: little sugar, little milk, little time. Little, like few, means that something is not enough, very little.

A little means a small amount of something that cannot be counted: a little sugar, a little milk, a little time.

A lot of, plenty of — universal words

The words a lot of (many) and plenty of (many) are the most «convenient»: we can use them with both countable nouns and uncountable ones.

We bought lots of souvenirs and plenty of tea when we were on vacation in Sri Lanka. — We bought lot souvenirs and lots of tea when we were on vacation in Sri Lanka.

Features and exceptions

Much, many, few, little, a lot of with uncountable nouns
There are a number of nouns that seem to be countable, but in fact are not. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine the «countability» of a noun.

If you are not sure which noun is in front of you, it is better to check it in the dictionary.

Please note that in English, uncountable includes advice, news, work, money, research, travel, furniture.

They have much work to do. — They have lot work.

Source: https://engblog.ru/much-many-few-little-a-lot-of-plenty-usage

Less / Fewer

«Less» and «fewer»Both words indicate quantitative indicators. «Less«- the comparative form of the word»little«, but «fewer«Is the comparative form»few».

Little [ˈLɪtəl] — a little, a little.
Few [fju] — a little, a little.

we have less milk than I’d hoped. — We have less milk than I had hoped.
There are fewer people than I expected. — Of people lessthan I expected.

Less

We use «less«With uncountable nouns such as: Pollution (pollution), traffic (traffic), News (news), freedom (freedom).

there is less traffic and less pollution. — There less traffic and less pollution.
We’ve been receiving a lot less news since we switched TV providers. — We get much less news since we changed TV providers.
In more conservative societies, women have less freedom than they do here. — In more conservative societies, women have less freedom than here.

fewer

We use «fewer«With quantifiable nouns such as: restaurants (restaurants), cafes (Cafe), people (people), bags (bags).

There are fewer restaurants and fewer cafes. — Here less restaurants and cafes.
Fewer people came to the opening than we had expected! — It came to the opening less people than we expected!
There are new pills with fewer side effects. — There are new drugs with smaller the number of side effects.

An exception

When we talk about measurements of time, distance, weight and money, we use “less«.

It is less than six hours until my essay is due. — Until the delivery of the essay is left less six hours.
i live less than fifty miles from London. “I live less than fifty miles from London.

More articles about English

Source: https://english5minutes.ru/less-fewer/

Difference in the use of less and fewer in English

Why is it so easy to get confused when using «less» and «fewer» — two pointers to many English languages?

Difference between less and fewer in English

fewer

This is the comparative form of the demonstrative pronoun «few«- few; little, little. Used before countable nouns when indicating the reduction of the number of objects (elements).

Countable nouns are objects and concepts, the number of which can be counted. It is expressed in pieces, units (pieces, bottles, packs, boxes) and has the plural:

3 packets of yeast;
2 watermelons;
8 eggs;
6 tomatoes.

An amazing selection of products for a wonderful dinner.

Fewer people today carry cash. — Fewer people nowadays carry cash with them.

Less

This is the comparative form of the adverb «little«- a little, a little.

Used by:

when indicating a reduction in the number of items;
before uncountable nouns in the singular.

Uncountable nouns are objects and concepts, the number of which cannot be counted. It is expressed in terms of mass, volume, but in some cases it does not have a clear definition at all:

liquids: water (water), milk (milk), oil (oil), beer (beer);
products: cheese, bread, meat;
gaseous substances: smoke (smoke), air (air), oxygen (oxygen), hydrogen (hydrogen), nitrogen (nitrogen);
substances consisting of many small particles: flour (flour), rice (rice), dust (dust), ash (dust, ash, ash);
natural phenomena: snow (snow), light (light), rain (rain), wind (wind), fog (fog), heat (heat);
abstractions: happiness, health, education, space, work, energy, truth.

there is less privacy today because of social media. — Due to the proliferation of social networks, there is less privacy in our lives today.

Less and fewer in life

In everyday life in the United States, the word «less» is regularly misused. It applies not only to uncountable, but also countable nouns.

And this way you get more debt. So more debt and less work. Mitt Romney

The candidate made a reservation and used «less jobs» instead of «fewer jobs «(Less work, jobs).

Similarities between less and fewer

Less and fewer with of

It is necessary to substitute the preposition “of«Before defining words:

articles (a / an, the);
pronouns (him, it);
demonstrative pronouns (this, that);
possessive pronouns (my, her, our).

I have to spend less of my time playing computer games. — I should spend less time playing computer games.

Less without a noun

The noun after «less» or «fewer» can be omitted if it is clear what is meant.

— You bought 10 bottles of juice. — You bought 10 bottles of juice.

— No way! I am sure I bought fewer… — Can not be! I’m sure I bought less.

Use cases for less and fewer

Less, fewer and weight

The whole can also be calculated using grams, kilograms, but the habit is second nature and it tells native English speakers to use “less«Instead of» fewer «.

My weight was less than 8 pounds at birth. — At birth, my weight was less than 8 pounds.

Less, fewer and money

I have less than 50 bucks left in my account. — I have less than $ 50 left in my account.

You can still say — fewer than 50 bucks, but it will sound strange and unexpected to those around you.

Less, fewer and percent

Determining the right word for percentages can be problematic. To do this, you need to evaluate the whole picture and ask yourself «Is it possible to calculate what we are describing?»

Fewer than 13 percent of the US citizens have black skin. — Less than 13% of the US population is black.

Counting all citizens with a dark skin color is difficult, but doable. This means 13% is a calculated value.

On the other hand, it is impossible to count the unfinished juice.

It has left less than 30 percent juice in the pack. — The package contains less than 30% of the juice.

Less, fewer and time

It will also be common to use «less«When mentioning the time. We can count the time in seconds, minutes, hours, etc., but sentences are still built with «less».

I think they could spend less time at work. — I think they could spend less time at work.

I think they could spend fewer hours at work. — I think they could spend less hours at work.

Less or Fewer? — Short video tutorial

English subtitles are available in the video.

Less & Fewer.

Source: https://englishboost.ru/less-fewer-raznitsa/

«Little» in English

How do you say «little» in English? Find out in this article!

Source: https://enjoyenglish-blog.com/razgovornyj-anglijskij/malo-na-anglijskom.html

13 mistakes in English that each of us makes — News All Kharkiv

It doesn’t matter what level you have. Even native speakers are sometimes confused in these words.

1. Lay and lie

I love to lie down in front of the fire and read — I like to lie near the fireplace with a book.

But lie is an irregular verb, in the past tense it turns into lay.

The town lay in ruins — The town lay in ruins.

And this form is written and pronounced in the same way as an independent verb to lay. The main meaning of which is “to put”.

She laid the baby on the bed — She laid the baby on the bed.

In a word, the confusion, of course, is utter, but if you look deeply into it and remember it once, it will be much easier to avoid mistakes.

2. Continual and continuous

These words can be called paronyms: they are spelled almost the same, but differ in meaning. Continual applies to repeated actions or events.

I’m sorry, I can’t work with these continual interruptions — Sorry, but I can’t work like that, I’m constantly interrupted.

Continuous, on the other hand, is about something that lasts continuously.

He spoke continuously for more than two hours — He spoke without stopping for more than two hours.

3. Envy and jealous

Even philologists cannot always explain the difference between these words clearly. Dictionaries say that jealous is primarily about jealousy.

In a moment of jealous frenzy, she cut the sleeves off all his shirts — In a fit of jealousy, she shredded the sleeves of his shirts.

But the word also has a second meaning: “annoyance that someone has what you yourself would like”. In other words, envy. The second word, envy, is also translated as “envy”.

He had always been very jealous of his brother’s success — He was always very jealous of his brother’s success.
Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has amassed — Some of his colleagues envy his enormous wealth.

4. Fewer and less

Less is used when we talk about something abstract and uncountable, or we don’t mention the exact amount.

I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than I used to — I eat less chocolate and fewer biscuits than usual.
We must try to spend less money — We must try to spend less money.

Few and fewer can be safely used when talking about specific numbers or something that can be accurately calculated.

Fewer than 3,500 tigers are left in the wild today — No more than three and a half thousand tigers live in the wild today.
We received far fewer complaints than expected — We received far fewer complaints than expected.

5. Disinterested and uninterested

A disinterested observer / judgment

If we are talking about disinterest and indifference, it would be more correct to use the option uninterested.

He’s completely uninterested in sports — He’s completely uninterested in sports.

True, not all linguists are united on this issue. The compilers of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, for example, believe that these words can be synonymous.

6. Anxious and excited

It’s natural that you should feel anxious when you first leave home — It’s natural to be anxious when you first leave home.

I’m anxious to get home to open my presents — I can’t wait to come home as soon as possible and open the presents.

7. Affect and effect

To deal with this dilemma, a simple hint can be used. Affect is almost always a verb, effect is a noun. Affect can be translated as «to influence, cause, lead to something.»

Factors that affect sleep include stress and many medical conditions — Causes that affect sleep include stress and various medical conditions.

Effect is, in fact, the effect or the result of some processes or events.

I’m suffering from the effects of too little sleep — I suffer from the effects of lack of sleep.

8. Among and between

Words are similar in meaning, but still not synonymous. Between translates as «between».

A narrow path runs between the two houses — A narrow path runs between the two houses.
The shop is closed for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30 — The shop is closed for lunch from half past twelve to half past one.

Among rather means «among», «one of».

The decision will not be popular among students — This decision will not be popular among students.
She divided the cake among the children — She divided the cake among the children.

If we are talking about specific people or objects, it is more appropriate to speak between, and if it is about indefinite or generalized — among.

9. Assure and ensure

She assured them, that she would be all right — She assured them that everything would be fine with her.

But ensure is appropriate to use when we ourselves want to make sure of something.

Please ensure that all examination papers have your name at the top — Please ensure that your examination papers are signed.

10. Then and than

She trained as a teacher and then became a lawyer — She studied to be a teacher, but then became a lawyer.

Than is a preposition, it is used for comparison.

It cost less than I expected — It cost less than I thought.

11. Lose and loose

I hope he doesn’t lose his job — I hope he doesn’t lose his job.

And loose translates as «relaxed», «free», «loose».

A loose dress / sweater — loose dress / sweater.

12. A lot and the lot

I’ve got a lot to do this morning — I have a lot to do this morning.

At the same time, the lot is a British colloquial element, which means not just «a lot», but «everything.»

I made enough curry for three people and he ate the lot — I cooked curry for three, and he ate it all alone.

13. Amount and number

Here the story is similar to fewer and less. Both words refer to quantity, but amount is used when we are talking about something indefinite and uncountable, and number when we are talking about objects or people that can be counted.

The project will take a huge amount of time and money — This project will take a huge amount of time and money.
A small number of children are educated at home — A small number of children study at home.

Source: https://allkharkov.ua/news/science/13-oshibok-v-angliiskom-iazyke-kotorye-delaet-kajdyi-iz-nas.html

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Back to overview

A Quick Guide on “Less” vs. “Least”

LanguageTool

“Less” is the irregular comparative and “least” is the corresponding superlative. We’ll explain what makes them irregular and how to use these words correctly.

Is the correct word to use “less” or “least”? It depends on the context.

Quick Summary on the Difference Between “Less” and “Least”

Less is the comparative form of little and refers to “a smaller amount of.” Least is the superlative form of little and refers to “the smallest amount of.”

James had little energy left, and Erica had even less.

Jordan, however, had the least amount of energy after the birthday party and went straight to sleep

To understand when to use less or least, you must first know what comparatives and superlatives are. Comparatives and superlatives are used for comparisons of adjectives, and they help show comparisons between two or more nouns.

Take for example the word high. Its comparative form is higher, and its superlative is highest. Because high is a regular adjective, forming the comparative (+ “–er”) and the superlative (+ “–est”) is easy. However, some words are irregular, meaning the comparative and superlative don’t follow the usual pattern.

Little, and its comparative and superlative form—less and least—are the perfect examples. This blog post will explain what these words mean and when to use less or least.

When To Use “Less”

Less is the comparative of little and can function as a determiner, pronoun, adjective, or adverb. Regardless of its function in a sentence, less usually means “a smaller amount or degree of something” or “to a smaller extent.”

We had much less money compared to the beginning of our vacation.

I need to spend less time on social media and more time reading.

Finding sufficient funds for our endeavors is less of a problem than it used to be.

Although not as common, less can also function as a preposition and is synonymous with minus.

She collected her entire salary less the tax and insurance.

Here are a few common expressions that include the word less and what they mean:

1. Less and less: diminishing in amount or degree

She had less and less respect for the chairman of the committee.

2. More or less: almost or approximately

I made about $400 a night as a server, more or less.

3. Much less: introduces something that is less likely than something already mentioned

They weren’t going to give her a promotion, much less a raise.

When To Use “Least”

Least is the superlative of little and can also function as a determiner, pronoun, adjective, or adverb. Least refers to “the smallest amount, extent, degree, or significance.”

They exerted the least amount of effort possible.

Whether I won or not was the least of my worries.

The least you could do is call and ask if she’s okay.

A few expressions that contain the word least are:

1. At the very least: indicates that what was previously stated is the lowest possible

The project is going to take five years to complete, at the very least.

2. Not in the least: not at all

I’m not in the least worried about the debate.

3. To say the least: implies that the reality is more extreme

I was utterly shocked, to say the least

4. Last but not least: last in order of mention but not of importance

And last but not least, I’d like to thank my sister.

Remember

Less and least are used for singular nouns, whereas fewer and fewest are used for plural nouns.

Comparatives and superlatives can be challenging, especially when they’re irregular. When dealing with little and its comparative and superlative, all you have to remember is their order:

little → less → least

LanguageTool—a multilingual text editor—can also ensure your text is error-free by detecting incorrect use of comparatives and superlatives, like less and least, worse and worst, and many more.

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Table of Contents

How do you use the word less?
What is another word for less?
What is the adjective for less?
What is the verb form of less?
Is lesser a proper word?
What is the superlative form of less?
What is the comparison of less?
Is less a quantifier?
What is the superlative of beautiful?
What is the superlative of rich?
What is the correct superlative form of bad?
What is superlative form?
How are always and never the same?
What are always and never statements called?
Why you should never use absolutes?
What is thinking in absolutes?
What is an absolute word?
Is only an absolute?
Is Only a Sith deals in absolutes and absolute?
Is human freedom absolute?
What does Only a Sith deals in absolutes?
Is Yoda a Sith Lord?
Is Obi Wan a hypocrite?
Why did Padme die?
Did Obi Wan die a virgin?
Who killed Darth Vader?
Does Darth Vader know Leia is his daughter?

According to usage rules, fewer is only to be used when discussing countable things, while less is used for singular mass nouns. For example, you can have fewer ingredients, dollars, people, or puppies, but less salt, money, honesty, or love. If you can count it, go for fewer. If you can’t, opt for less.

What is another word for less?

inferior	insignificant
diminished	subordinate
fewer	junior
limited	reduced
slighter	unsubstantial

What is the adjective for less?

adjective, a comparative of little, with least as superlative. smaller in size, amount, degree, etc.; not so large, great, or much: less money; less speed.

What is the verb form of less?

The past tense of less is lessed. The third-person singular simple present indicative form of less is lesses. The present participle of less is lessing. The past participle of less is lessed. Find more words!

Is lesser a proper word?

adjective, a comparative of little, with least as superlative. smaller, as in size or importance; inferior: a lesser evil.

What is the superlative form of less?

Irregular comparatives and superlatives

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
bad	worse	worst
little	less	least
much	more	most
far	further / farther	furthest / farthest

What is the comparison of less?

3. Irregular adjectives

positive	comparative	superlative
much	more	most
many	more	most
little	less	least
small	smaller	smallest

Is less a quantifier?

We use the quantifiers less and fewer to talk about quantities, amounts and degree. Less and fewer are comparative words. Less is the comparative form of little. Fewer is the comparative form of few….

What is the superlative of beautiful?

Answer and Explanation: The superlative form of the adjective ‘beautiful’ is ‘most beautiful,’ not ‘beautifullest.

What is the superlative of rich?

The superlative form of the word is formed by adding ‘-est’ to the original word. Therefore, the comparative and superlative degrees of the word ‘rich’ are ‘richer’ and ‘richest’ respectively. Therefore, the correct answer is option C) richer / richest.

What is the correct superlative form of bad?

bad – badly The comparative and superlative forms of bad are worse and worst.

What is superlative form?

When three or more things are compared, the superlative form of the adjective is used to describe the object that is at the highest or lowest limit of the group. This usually means -est is added to the end of the adjective, as in “tallest,” “smallest,” or “hardest.”

How are always and never the same?

Always is an “ever running” presence and never is an “ever running” absence. So, actually they are not opposites. They are two words that describe the same thing from two diametrically opposed points of view. They are two words that describe the same thing from two diametrically opposed points of views….

What are always and never statements called?

“Always” and “Never” statements are frequently used by people when they are arguing in order to emphasize or illustrate the merits of their position. “Always” and “Never” statements are usually exaggerations, which serve an illustrative purpose and are understood by both parties to be hyperbole and not literal….

Why you should never use absolutes?

Simply put, avoid absolute words because they can: Divert the listener’s focus from the topic at hand to finding the exceptions, often weakening important and well-informed points. Make an otherwise valid claim that can be interpreted as “no exceptions”…

What is thinking in absolutes?

Absolute thinking, sometime called absolutist thinking, refers to the cognitively detrimental habit of describing feeling and circumstances in concrete, absolute terms. This cognitive bias is characterized by thinking is all or nothing, black or white, and absolutist.

What is an absolute word?

An absolute word is one that is complete and total. Words that are inclusive, all-encompassing, an end in themselves, and cannot be modified in any way. Think about it….

Is only an absolute?

Examples of absolute language include words such as ‘all, none, must, except, every, not, always, just, only, and never’. Absolute language in a question refers to any question that requires a yes/no or true/false answer….

Is Only a Sith deals in absolutes and absolute?

“Only a Sith deals in absolutes.” But let’s think about the distinction between what Obi-Wan said and Anakin saying, “If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy.” Now, that is an absolute; it’s a statement that slices all the complexities out of relationships and principles, leaving nothing but a binary choice….

Is human freedom absolute?

To answer, we must recognize that freedom is a general term, like liberty, independence, autonomy, and equality. In reality, freedom cannot be absolute; no one can be completely free.

What does Only a Sith deals in absolutes?

The words “deals in” refers to how Anakin thought he had to fight Obi-wan. It was a battle deal. So… to expand Obi-wan’s dialogue, he was meaning, “Only a Sith will engage in combat due to absolute reasoning.” It makes sense now because Obi-wan was not making any absolute statement that was dealing in combat.

Is Yoda a Sith Lord?

First, here’s the answer: No, Yoda was not a Sith Lord. He was a Jedi, a Jedi Master and on the Jedi Council. He was a follower of the Light Side of the Force, and he never went to the Dark Side, which is a prerequisite for being a Sith Lord. Yoda was curious, and curiosity is not a step towards the Dark Side.

Is Obi Wan a hypocrite?

Obi-Wan is not a hypocrite. He tells Anakin what he needs to know….

Why did Padme die?

Palpatine already knew how to influence the midichlorians to create life and save people from dying. So, as Anakin was dying from his wounds on Mustafar, the Emperor siphoned the Living Force from Padmé and brought it to Anakin. Thus, she died as he was reborn as Darth Vader….

Did Obi Wan die a virgin?

Obi Wan died a virgin. Qui Gon died because the multitude of STD’s he’d contracted slowed his reflexes down….

Who killed Darth Vader?

This act of compassion angered Palpatine, who proceeded to zap Luke with some force lightning. Vader didn’t want to see his son die, and so he grabbed Palpatine and threw him down a shaft. However, when he was doing this, Palpatine zapped Vader with some force lightning too, and soon after, Vader died in Luke’s arms….

Does Darth Vader know Leia is his daughter?

Vader did not sense the force in Leia because at that time she had no awareness of it herself. During the iconic opening moments of Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope, Darth Vader has a tense confrontation with Princess Leia, an adversary who, unbeknownst to him, is actually his daughter….

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Generally, fewer is used when the number of things is counted («fewer problems») whereas less is used when the number is measured («less trouble» or «less time»). However, this is not a strict rule and there are accepted instances of less being used with countable amounts such as «250 words or less,» «3 items or less,» and especially with money («less than $20») and distance («less than 3 miles»).

There’s a commonly repeated rule about fewer and less. It goes like this: fewer is used to refer to number among things that are counted, as in «fewer choices» and «fewer problems»; less is used to refer to quantity or amount among things that are measured, as in «less time» and «less effort.»

While the supermarket cashier understood that the phrase «12 Items or Less» violated a received rule of grammar, she wished fewer people would complain to her about it.

This rule is simple enough and looks easy enough to follow, but it’s not accurate for all usage. The fact is that less is also sometimes used to refer to number among things that are counted.

Origins of The Fewer vs Less Rule

This isn’t an example of how modern English is going to the dogs. Less has been used this way for well over a thousand years—nearly as long as there’s been a written English language. But for more than 200 years almost every usage writer and English teacher has declared such use to be wrong. The received rule seems to have originated with the critic Robert Baker, who expressed it not as a law but as a matter of personal preference. Somewhere along the way—it’s not clear how—his preference was generalized and elevated to an absolute, inviolable rule.

Exceptions to the Rule

Despite the rule, less used of things that are countable is standard in many contexts, and in fact is more likely than fewer in a few common constructions, especially ones involving distances (as in «less than three miles»), sums of money (as in «less than twenty dollars»), units of time and weight (as in «less than five years» and «less than ten ounces»), and statistical enumerations (as in «less than 50,000 people»)—all things which are often thought of as amounts rather than numbers.

The use of less to modify ordinary plural count nouns (as in «made less mistakes») is pretty rare in writing and is usually better avoided, though it does occur frequently in speech.

But less is actually preferred in phrases like «an essay of 250 words or less.» It’s also—to the chagrin of some—the preferred choice in the supermarket checkout line’s «twelve items or less» sign. (Some grocery stores have apparently been convinced by the chagrin, though, and use «items or fewer.» They are still very much in the minority.)

Less is common following a number, as in «a package containing three less than the others,» and is the typical choice after one, as in «one less worry.»

A definitive rule covering all possibilities is maybe impossible. If you’re a native speaker your best bet is to be guided by your ear, choosing the word that sounds more natural in a particular context. If you’re not a native speaker, the simple rule is a good place to start, but be sure to consider the exceptions to it as well.

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Battle of words: fewer vs. less.

It’s a battle between words: fewer vs. less. Are they interchangeable? Do these words have different meanings? How can we use them correctly?

Many people don’t realize that these two words do not share the same meaning and therefore cannot be used interchangeably. As a result, both fewer and less are often used incorrectly.

The difference in meaning may be subtle, but it’s significant and remarkably easy to remember. Let’s see what Dictionary.com has to say about these two words:

fewer: adjective 1. of a smaller number: fewer words and more action.

less: adjective 1. smaller in size, amount, degree, etc.; not so large, great, or much: less money; less speed.

The grammar rules are clear; let me break them down for you.

Fewer vs. Less? Which is Correct?

Fewer and less respectively refer to a number of items or an amount of something. The easiest way to remember which of these adjectives to use in a given situation is this:

Fewer should be used when the items in question can be counted:

He has fewer books than his best friend has.

Less is used when the amount of something cannot be counted:

He has less interest in reading than his best friend has.

Note that books can be counted item by item. However, interest is not a thing that can be counted, although we can discuss how much of it someone has.

The basic difference here is countability. Use fewer for countable nouns like individuals, cars, and pens. Use less for uncountable nouns such as love, time, and respect.

Do note, however, that there are some sticky spots to watch out for when determining whether you should use fewer or less. For example, you might need less paper but you will need fewer sheets of paper. You have fewer pennies but less money. You want fewer chocolate bars but less candy.

Fewer or Less

Now you know how to tell the difference between fewer vs. less.

Do you have questions about correctly using fewer or less or any other word pairs? Maybe you have something to add to this linguistic look at tricky adjectives. Share your thoughts by leaving a comment, and let’s discuss.

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What is the difference between fewer vs. less?

We use the words less and fewer to indicate a decreased amount of something in comparison to another, but we don’t use these terms interchangeably. According to Garner’s Modern English Usage, the word “less” emphasizes the appearance of quantity or degree, while the word “fewer” emphasizes a number. This makes sense because “less” is a comparative form of “little” and “fewer” is a comparative form of “few.”

Using Garner’s perspective, it’s easy to see how the terms are inherently different. We use the word “little” to describe an infinite amount of sizes or appearances, but “few” generally denotes a specific number like “a couple,” “a dozen,” or even “some.” For example,

“He weighs less than you!” vs. “He has fewer muscles than you.”

The Associated Press Stylebook expands on these differences by explaining how we should use “fewer” for individual items and “less” for a bulk quantity (“Fewer, less” 106). But this is also where learning less vs. fewer is very complicated. According to Lexico, the proper usage of “less” generally describes a quantity under 10,000, while “fewer” describes individual units with quantities that are less than ten.

Simple grammar rules for fewer vs. less

The AP Stylebook, The Chicago Manuel of Style, Lexico, and Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary all agree that the correct use of less vs. fewer depends on the following simple rules:

Use “less” for singular mass nouns (uncountable nouns), including bulk quantities that involve units of measurement and time (e.g., money, distances, fractions, percentages, minutes, etc.).
Use “fewer” for individual items and countable plural nouns.

When to use “fewer” in a sentence?

As mentioned before, we use “fewer” for sets of individual items or plural count nouns. A countable plural noun references a specific quantity of people, places, or things, such as “grocery stores” or “coupons.” For example,

“We have fewer grocery stores.”
“I used fewer coupons in March.”

When to use “less” in a sentence?

We use the word “less” with singular mass nouns, which often involve noncount nouns. A noncount or mass noun generally represents a large size or bulk quantity of something, but it is not an approximate quantity in context. For example,

“There’s less stress in the supermarket.”
“We have less time to shop.”

Exceptions for fewer vs. less

While terms like “money,” “space,” or “distance” are noncount nouns, we can still use “less” because they represent a bulk quantity of measurement units. For example,

“We have less than five dollars.”
“We have less than two hours.”
“The destination is less than 50 miles away.”

Perhaps the most notorious example is the one found in your local supermarket. During your next visit to the store, look at the sign above the express lanes, and see if it reads “10 items or less.” Do you think the store signs are incorrect?

If we use strict English grammar, the sign should read “10 items or fewer” because the items are countable. However, since there are several exceptions for phrases concerning bulk quantities, most people let this rule slide.

Did you know?: Up until the 18th century, native speakers paired the word “less” with countable nouns. In fact, the oldest use of “less” describes a countable noun in a quote provided by Alfred the Great in 888 ACE. It wasn’t until grammarian Robert Baker began advocating rules for fewer vs. less, that English dictionaries followed suit.

What does fewer mean?

Fewer is the comparative form of the word few, which means ‘a small amount’ or ‘number’ of something. We use the comparative fewer to describe how small an amount is in comparison to another known number. For example,

“We have fewer people logging into Zoom than usual.”
“They have fewer than twenty people in the building.”

Synonyms of fewer:

Countable, limited.

Antonyms of fewer:

Countless, innumerable, many, numerous, several.

What does less mean?

The term less describes a smaller amount of something in comparison to a different amount. We can use “less” as an adjective, adverb, noun, determiner, and pronoun, but regardless of the form, the amount of “less” should represent an uncountable or unknown number (i.e., a mass noun).

For example,

“We have less time to spare.”
“She makes less money per year.”
“There is less space than I remember.”

It’s more common to see the word “less” as an adjective, where it is a comparative form of “little.” In this sense, we use “less” to say “there is little,” “there’s no more than,” or “this is smaller than…”

“We have less than ten minutes.”
“Stealing isn’t murder, but it’s no less a crime.”
“There is less sunshine than normal.”

The adverb form of less is also a comparative form of “little,” but only in the sense that “little” conveys the meaning of “slightly smaller.” In this case, the adverb less means “to a smaller degree.”

“Every year, we have less and less rainfall.”
“The situation is less than ideal.”

The prepositional form of less is unique because it indicates a subtraction. In this case, the word ‘less’ conveys the meaning of “minus” with mathematics.

“Six is four less than ten.”

Synonyms of less:

Little, minute, small, minus, wanting.

Antonyms of less:

As well as, greater, including, more.

How to use fewer vs. less in a sentence?

Learning how to use fewer vs. less can feel daunting, but it’s easier to tackle if we break-down the two main rules through sentence examples.

Emphasizing quantities vs. numbers

We use the word “less” to emphasize a quantity and “fewer” to emphasize a number. For example,

“We get less sunshine in Oregon than Southern California.”

For this example, the word “less” is modifying the noncount noun “sunshine,” which is, for all intents and purposes, an uncountable or immeasurable unit. The noun “sunshine” is appropriate because the word “less” emphasizes the amount of sunshine in Oregon in comparison to Southern California.

If we write, “Southern California receives fewer than 5 inches of rainfall per year,” then we’re emphasizing a number instead of a quantity.

Less for noncount nouns, fewer for count nouns

As a general rule, the word “less” modifies singular noncount nouns (uncountable things), and “fewer” modifies plural count nouns (countable things). The word salt, for instance, is a plural noncount noun, so we use this word with the term “less.” For example,

“Let’s use less salt this time.”

If you use the plural singular noun “salt containers,” however, the word “fewer” is grammatically correct:

“Let’s use fewer salt containers this time.”

Test Yourself!

The English Language is complex, but the best way to improve is to practice. See how far you’ve come by answering the following multiple-choice questions for “fewer” vs. “less.”

The correct usage of “fewer” does not involve _____________.
a. Individual items
b. Countable nouns
c. Plural nouns
d. Singular nouns
We can use the plural form of the noun “cat” with _____________.
a. Less
b. Fewer
c. Less and fewer
“There are _____________ people in the checkout line.”
a. Less people
b. Fewer people
c. A or B
“The lake has _____________ water than usual.”
a. Less water
b. Fewer water
c. A or B
“The poll featured _____________ than a thousand voters.”
a. Fewer than
b. Less than
c. A or B
“The city noticed _____________ cars on the road this year.”
a. Less cars
b. Fewer cars
c. A or B
“The amount of money provided is _____________ than we expected.”
a. Answer
b. Less than
c. A or B

Answers

Sources

“Few.” Lexico, Oxford University Press, 2020.
“Fewer, less.” The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law 2017, The Associated Press, July 2017, pp. 106.
“Fewer; less.” Garner’s Modern English Usage, Fourth Ed., Oxford University Press, 2016.
“Less.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., 2020.
“Old-School Grammar.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., 2020.
“Usage and Grammar.” The Chicago Manual of Style Online, The Chicago Manual of Style, 2017.

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When you begin to reach a more advanced level in your English skills, it’s important to fine-tune the little things. To fine-tune means to make small changes in order to improve or make something exactly right.

And that’s what we want to do with your English grammar skills today. We’re going to fine-tune your skills with two commonly confused words: less vs. fewer in English.

Less and fewer both mean the opposite of more. Because they have the same meaning, they are easily confused and there’s an increased likelihood of making mistakes.

For example: In this sentence, which word should I use?

I know you want to make less/fewer mistakes in English.

In today’s Confident English lesson, you’ll learn:

a general rule of thumb* to follow when deciding whether to use less or fewer
4 important exceptions with examples
tips for how to practice and remember this grammar rule.

Less vs. Fewer in English — Advanced Grammar

General Rule of Thumb for Choosing Less vs. Fewer

In short, fewer is used when we’re talking about count nouns* and less is used with noncount nouns*. Let’s look at some examples.

Here are 3 common count nouns: tourists, cars, mistakes

During the winter months, there are fewer tourists here in Washington DC.
With improved public transportation options, there are fewer cars on the road, which is definitely improving traffic congestion in the city.
Understanding the differences between less and fewer will result in fewer mistakes.

And now let’s look at three common noncount nouns: light, salt, stress

The winter months are so tough because there’s less sunlight during the day and the nights are long.
The doctor said he should eat less salt.
In an effort to have less stress in my life, I’m working to develop a meditation habit.

*For a full list of count and noncount nouns to practice with, please continue to review the lesson below.

4 Exceptions When Choosing Less vs. Fewer

Thankfully, there are not a lot of exceptions and there are just 4 categories to remember.

Distance (miles, kilometers, meters, inches, etc.)
Money (dollars, cents, euros, pesos, rupee, etc.)
Time/Weight (hours, minutes, days, years, pounds, kilos, ounces, etc.)
Statistical information (75,000 people, percentages, etc.)

To help, let’s review some examples:

We have less than 100 km to go. We’re almost there!
Wow! We can get tickets to Rome for less than $100 right now.
The price of milk is $2 less at the other grocery store.
We have less than 48 hours to get this project finished!
He weighs 3 kilos less after consistently working out for the past couple of months.
There were less than 20 people at the event.

Practice Using Less vs. Fewer in English

Use the lists of count and noncount nouns below to practice creating example sentences with the right choice of less or fewer.

You can share your example sentences in the comments section below.

Common Count Nouns

Desk

Project

Phone

Tourist

Museum

Meeting

Discussion

Doctor

Song

Suitcase

Toy

Car

Train

Computer

Printer

Folder

Receipt

Message

Comment

Word

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In today’s lesson, I shared my top strategy to learn and remember this grammar rule: time, focused practice, and repetition.

Follow that formula to ensure that you develop automaticity for when to use less vs. fewer in English.

A good way to do that is to practice with the word lists above including:

Common count nouns
Common noncount nouns
Nouns in the ‘exception’ categories

As always, you can share with me in the comments below. It’s the best way to practice, get feedback, and learn from others in the Confident English Community.

~ Annemarie

You’ll also get my Confident English lessons delivered by email every Wednesday and occasional information about available courses. You can unsubscribe any time.

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Top Definitions
Quiz
Related Content
More About Less
Examples
British
Idioms And Phrases

This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.

adverb, a comparative of little, with least as superlative.

to a smaller extent, amount, or degree: less exact.

most certainly not (often preceded by much or still): He could barely pay for his own lodging, much less for that of his friend.

in any way different; other: He is nothing less than a thief.

adjective, a comparative of little, with least as superlative.

smaller in size, amount, degree, etc.; not so large, great, or much:less money; less speed.

lower in consideration, rank, or importance: no less a person than the manager.

fewer: less than a dozen.

noun

a smaller amount or quantity: Hundreds of soldiers arrived, but less of them remained.

something inferior or not as important: He was tortured for less.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Which sentence is correct?

Idioms about less

less than, by far short of being; not in the least; hardly at all: The job is less than perfect.

Origin of less

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English lǣs (adverb), lǣssa (adjective); cognate with Old Frisian lês (adverb), lêssa (adjective); see least

synonym study for less

words often confused with less

Even though less has been used before plural nouns ( less words; less men ) since the time of King Alfred, many modern usage guides say that only fewer can be used in such contexts. Less, they say, should modify singular mass nouns ( less sugar; less money ) and singular abstract nouns ( less honesty; less love ). It should modify plural nouns only when they suggest combination into a unit, group, or aggregation: less than $50 (a sum of money); less than three miles (a unit of distance). With plural nouns specifying individuals or readily distinguishable units, the guides say that fewer is the only proper choice: fewer words; fewer men; no fewer than 31 of the 50 states.
Modern standard English practice does not reflect this distinction. When followed by than, less occurs at least as often as fewer in modifying plural nouns that are not units or groups, and the use of less in this construction is increasing in all varieties of English: less than eight million people; no less than 31 of the 50 states. When not followed by than, fewer is more frequent only in formal written English, and in this construction also the use of less is increasing: This year we have had less crimes, less accidents, and less fires than in any of the last five years.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH less

fewer, less (see confusables note at the current entry)

Words nearby less

Leslie, Les Misérables, Lesotho, lespedeza, lesquerella, less, lessee, lessen, Lesseps, lesser, Lesser Antilles

Other definitions for less (2 of 2)

an adjective suffix meaning “without” (childless; peerless), and in adjectives derived from verbs, indicating failure or inability to perform or be performed (resistless; tireless).

Origin of -less

Middle English -les,Old English -lēas, special use of lēas free from, without, false; cognate with Old Norse lauss,German los,loose

MORE ABOUT LESS

What is a basic definition of less?

Less refers to a comparatively smaller amount, quantity, or degree and can be used in this sense as an adverb, adjective, or noun. Less has several other senses as an adverb, adjective, noun, and a preposition.

Less is a comparative form of the word little, with the word least being the superlative. If something is described as less, it is “more little” than something else. Specifically, less by itself often means a smaller number or amount rather than physical size.

Less can be used in this sense as an adverb, adjective, or a noun. Because less is a comparative, it must be used to compare two or more things to make sense. For example, “This house is less” makes no sense by itself. You might wonder. “Less what?” When we include the item we are comparing the house to, you can understand what we mean: That house is really expensive, but this house costs less.

Real-life examples: Used cars often cost less than new ones. You will earn less money in your first job than in your last job. You might start out with a lot of questions, but as you learn you may have less.
Used in a sentence: I really need to start eating less.
We want to make sure nobody gets less food than anyone else.
When it comes to using pink paint, less is more.

The word less is often confused with the word fewer. For the most part, you can use the words less and fewer as synonyms when comparing amounts of things.

However, less can compare abstract, uncountable qualities, while fewer cannot. For example, one dog can be said to be less playful than another, but it cannot be said to be “fewer playful” than another.

Where does less come from?

The first records of less come from before 900. It ultimately comes from the Old English adverb lǣs and adjective lǣssa. It is related to the Old Frisian adverb lês and adjective lêssa.

Did you know … ?

How is less used in real life?

Less is an incredibly common word that is most often used to describe something having a smaller or lower degree, amount, or quantity.

I really need to get hobbies that cost less money…

— Ashlee Spring (@summerannspring) February 1, 2021

I haven’t been less excited for a Super Bowl since…..ever. Is this typical for fans of the team that fall one game short?

— The CoolTechDad (@TheCoolTechDad) February 1, 2021

You’ll be seeing less of me on Twitter when the temperature finally breaks 50 degrees, which I believe will now happen in mid-July.

— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 20, 2015

Try using less!

True or False?

A chair that costs $30 is less expensive than one that costs $20.

Words related to less

fewer, lesser, limited, lower, minor, minus, negative, secondary, subordinate, beneath, declined, deficient, depressed, diminished, excepting, lacking, reduced, shortened, shorter, slighter

How to use less in a sentence

Submission is less a novel of ideas than a political book, and of the most subversive kind.
Back in New York, the slow pace and inward focus of her yoga practice was less fulfilling.
For many years afterward it was a never-ending topic of conversation, and is more or less talked of even to this day.
No one wants to align with less freedom at a time like this.

The pulps brought new readers to serious fiction, making it less intimidating with alluring art and low prices.
In less than ten minutes, the bivouac was broken up, and our little army on the march.
He was too drowsy to hold the thought more than a moment in his mind, much less to reflect upon it.
He did believe you, more or less, and what you said fell in with his own impressions—strange impressions that they were, poor man!
One would not have wanted her white neck a mite less full or her beautiful arms more slender.
With childlike confidence he follows the advice of some more or less honest dealer.

British Dictionary definitions for less (1 of 2)

determiner

the comparative of little (def. 1) less sugar; less spirit than before
(as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural)she has less than she needs; the less you eat, the less you want

(usually preceded by no) lower in rank or importanceno less a man than the president; St James the Less

no less informal used to indicate surprise or admiration, often sarcastic, at the preceding statementshe says she’s been to Italy, no less

less of to a smaller extent or degreewe see less of John these days; less of a success than I’d hoped

adverb

the comparative of little (sense 1)she walks less than she should; less quickly; less beautiful

much less or still less used to reinforce a negativewe don’t like it, still less enjoy it

think less of to have a lower opinion of

preposition

subtracting; minusthree weeks less a day

Word Origin for less

Old English lǣssa (adj), lǣs (adv, n)

usage for less

Less should not be confused with fewer. Less refers strictly only to quantity and not to number: there is less water than before. Fewer means smaller in number: there are fewer people than before

British Dictionary definitions for less (2 of 2)

suffix forming adjectives

without; lackingspeechless

not able to (do something) or not able to be (done, performed, etc)countless

Word Origin for -less

Old English -lās, from lēas lacking

Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with less

In addition to the idiom beginning with less

less than

also see:

couldn’t care less
in (less than) no time
more or less
much less

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