Is 12 items or less grammatically correct?
Is 12 items or less grammatically correct?
“12 items or fewer” is correct/standard and “12 items or less” is incorrect/non-standard though common. It sounds common to me too. Less should only be used for non-countable nouns, so “less water”, “less time” but “fewer apples” and “fewer people”. “a glass of water or less” would be correct.
Is it ten items or less or fewer?
Since the reign of Alfred the Great, a time when Old English was spoken, less has been used in the same way that fewer is currently used. This long history of usage accounts for supermarkets posting the words “10 Items or Less” over the express lanes, when “10 Items or Fewer” is the grammatically correct option.
What does 10 items or fewer mean?
“Ten items” refers to something tangible (the items) that can be easily quantified (ten), so the correct word to use is “fewer.” “Ten items or fewer.”
Is one less grammatically correct?
If you’re wondering if you should use “one less thing” or “one thing less”, rest assured both are correct. However, “one less thing” is more common than “one thing less”.
What is the 10 items or less rule?
(It’s like the principle of common usage, but in reverse.) That’s a (sort of) reasonable stance, but I don’t think that accepting this rule rules out 10 items or less. Countability is gradient….“10 items or less” is just fine.
| Google hits for | less X | fewer X |
|---|---|---|
| Y objects | 17,200 | 27,100 |
Is a few less than 10?
It has never been used of a definite number, unlike couple: from the very beginning, few was used of a comparatively small number. The key word here is comparatively. In neither case can you definitely say that few refers to a number between, say, 3 and 10.
How do you use one less?
When it says to reserve less for mass nouns, it means singular mass nouns.) One is always singular: there is one less food group in the new pyramid; there is one less number in this column. Two (or more) is plural: there are two fewer food groups in the new pyramid; there are three fewer numbers in this column.
What is the grammatically correct name for a grocery store checkout lane in which you can bring up to 15 items?
Some Kroger express lanes now say “about 15 items.” As in “approximately” or “an estimated.” By adding that one word, Kroger has significantly changed the politics of the express lane checkout.
How do you use less grammar?
Less means a smaller amount or “not as much” and is used when describing singular or uncountable nouns. Fewer is defined as not as much and is used when describing plural or countable nouns.
When can we use less than?
You use less than to say that something does not have a particular quality. For example, if you describe something as less than perfect, you mean that it is not perfect at all. Her greeting was less than enthusiastic. Her advice has frequently been less than wholly helpful.
What is the comparative of less?
Irregular comparatives and superlatives
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| good | better | best |
| bad | worse | worst |
| little | less | least |
| much | more | most |