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WRITAMINS™: These writing supplements from WORKTALK will boost your ability to write more quickly and concisely.

Can’t Make Fewer Mistakes? At Least Make Lesser Ones

Words that describe quantity, degree or amount seem to perplex people. From the child who asks, “How much more days until my birthday?” to the business person who says, “Shrinkage during the second quarter was much less than during the previous quarter,” confusion clouds the choice of words. “Much” or “more” or “many”? “Lower” or “less” or “fewer”?

Here are definitions of a few words of comparison, along with examples of usage. I hope that this information will enable you to make both fewer and lesser mistakes.

Amount versus Number
Amount (noun or verb) refers to a sum of money or a quantity of something that is not counted in discrete units.
Number (noun or verb) refers to something that can be counted in individual units.
It was an enormous amount of work to ascertain the exact number of votes received by each candidate.

Farther versus Further
Farther (adverb) means a longer distance Further (adverb) means to a greater degree or extent.

At the risk of annoying you further, I’d like to ask you how much farther we have to walk.

Fewer versus Less
Fewer (adjective) means of a smaller number. Use it when referring to something that can be counted in individual units.
Less (adjective) refers to a smaller amount of money or degree of something that is not counted in discrete units.

The fewer responsibilities you have, the less likely you are to succeed.
Less versus Lesser
Less (adverb of comparison) refers to a smaller extent, amount or degree.

Lesser (adjective) means smaller or less important.

John may be less intelligent than Bill, but he has great strength of character; all things considered, Bill is actually the lesser person.

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© 2001 Elizabeth Danziger All rights reserved.