Can you use less, lesser, few, and fewer correctly? Test your understanding with this interactive exercise.
1............... people make their own bread these days.
Wrong!
Use "Few" with plural countable nouns when you mean not many.
2I earn ............... money than a cleaner.
Wrong!
Use "less" with uncountable nouns such as money.
3You have got ............... problems than I have.
Wrong!
Use "fewer" with plural countable nouns in comparisons.
4Choose the ............... of the two evils.
Wrong!
The fixed expression is "lesser" when choosing the less bad of two evils.
5The easiest way to lose weight is to eat ............... food.
Wrong!
Use "less" with uncountable nouns such as food.
6She has ............... friends than her sister.
Wrong!
Use "fewer" with plural countable nouns such as friends.
7I would like to spend ............... of my time cooking.
Wrong!
Use "less" before "of" with an uncountable amount such as time.
8I worry ............... than I used to.
Wrong!
Use "less" as an adverb to mean to a smaller degree.
9There were ............... of us at the college reunion than last year.
Wrong!
Use "fewer" for a smaller number of people in a comparison.
10The script was written by a ............... writer.
Wrong!
Use "lesser-known" before a noun to mean not very famous.
11We did ............... work today than yesterday.
Wrong!
Use "less" with uncountable nouns such as work.
12This route is ............... dangerous than the mountain road.
Wrong!
Use "less" before an adjective to make a comparison of degree.
Answers
- Few people make their own bread these days.
- I earn less money than a cleaner.
- You have got fewer problems than I have.
- Choose the lesser of the two evils.
- The easiest way to lose weight is to eat less food.
- She has fewer friends than her sister.
- I would like to spend less of my time cooking.
- I worry less than I used to.
- There were fewer of us at the college reunion than last year.
- The script was written by a lesser-known writer.
- We did less work today than yesterday.
- This route is less dangerous than the mountain road.