Last visit was: 11 Dec 2024, 05:34 It is currently 11 Dec 2024, 05:34
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Reviews
Social
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
avatar
dhirajsingh23
avatar
Joined: 26 Jan 2019
Last visit: 03 May 2022
Posts: 1
Posts: 1
Kudos: 0
Quantity 20 Apr 2022, 12:35
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Why "less than 10 items or less" is wrong according to Manhattan sentence correction book and "We have less than 20 dollars" right ?

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
nahid78
User avatar
Joined: 12 Mar 2013
Last visit: 30 Apr 2023
Posts: 287
Own Kudos:
665
Given Kudos: 1,062
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 287
Kudos: 665
Quantity 20 Apr 2022, 13:45
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
"Less" should be used for non countable noun. Items are countable, so "fewer" would be appropriate. Dollars countable, so fewer.

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
Kinshook
User avatar
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 03 Jun 2019
Last visit: 11 Dec 2024
Posts: 5,422
Own Kudos:
4,593
Given Kudos: 161
Location: India
Schools: HBS '22 CBS '22 Wharton '22
GMAT 1: 690 Q50 V34
WE:Engineering (Transportation)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: HBS '22 CBS '22 Wharton '22
GMAT 1: 690 Q50 V34
Posts: 5,422
Kudos: 4,593
Quantity 20 Apr 2022, 18:12
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
"Less" is used for non-countable nouns and "fewer" is used for countable nouns.


dhirajsingh23
Why "less than 10 items or less" is wrong according to Manhattan sentence correction book and "We have less than 20 dollars" right ?

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
EducationAisle
User avatar
Joined: 27 Mar 2010
Last visit: 11 Dec 2024
Posts: 3,755
Own Kudos:
3,551
Given Kudos: 154
Location: India
Schools: ISB
GPA: 3.31
Expert reply
Schools: ISB
Posts: 3,755
Kudos: 3,551
Quantity 20 Apr 2022, 21:02
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
dhirajsingh23
Why "less than 10 items or less" is wrong according to Manhattan sentence correction book and "We have less than 20 dollars" right ?
Hi Dhiraj, it is noteworthy that while more can be used for both "countable" (chairs, cycles etc.) and "uncountable" (energy, pollution etc.) nouns, this is not the case with less and fewer.

Generally speaking, the following will help you decide between less and fewer:

Use "less" for "singular" nouns and "fewer" for plural nouns.

Coming to your example, notice we would say:

Dhiraj believes that 20 dollars is a lot of money.

Since we use singular verb is with the noun 20 dollars, we would use "less" with 20 dollars.

On the other hand, we use phrases such as "glasses of water are..." and "children are...", we would use "fewer" with these nouns.

p.s. Our book EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses this topic of "less vs fewer" in detail. Have attached the corresponding section of the book, for your reference.
Attachments

Less Vs Fewer.pdf [458.99 KiB]
Downloaded 48 times

Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7153 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
234 posts
Sajjad1994
GRE Forum Moderator
14156 posts