'less ....than'

[wotcha]

My grammar book says that 'When the adjectives are more than two syllables, we use 'less......than' instead of 'fewer.... than'.


Then, do we have to say 'I have less than 4 cookies' , not 'I have fewer than 4 cookies'?

I'm so cofused. I hate my grammar book. ㅜㅡ

[emsr2d2]

My grammar book says that 'When the adjectives are more than two syllables, we use 'less......than' instead of 'fewer.... than'.


Then, do we have to say 'I have less than 4 cookies' , not 'I have fewer than 4 cookies'?

I'm so cofused. I hate my grammar book. ㅜㅡ

I'm very confused too. Which word in the sentences "I have less than 4 cookies" and "I have fewer than 4 cookies" do you think is an adjective having more than two syllables?

Note: My question is just out of curiosity. The rights and wrongs of that rule in your grammar book is a separate issue which will, no doubt, be discussed here very shortly!

[SoothingDave]

"Fewer" is for countable objects, "less" for uncountable.

I wish there were fewer errors in your grammar book.

Then you wouldn't be a less capable speaker.

[sunsunmoon]

Fewer Versus Less | Grammar Party

Use fewer with objects you can count.
Use less with objects you can’t count.

For example, if you have a plate of six cookies in front of you, and then you eat one, you would say, “I have fewer than six cookies on my plate.” You use fewer because you can count the cookies individually.



<Fewer/Less> than one percent of Spanish students around the world ...
"fewer" versus "less than"
a few football fans but <fewer/less> than in the general population.
accounts for <fewer/less> than 3% of thyroid carcinoma
fewer / less than thirty sheets
fewer or less [with percentages]
fewer or less deaths?
fewer/less
Fewer/less: History, <...> measurement? <...> than three books, <...> than five kilos of sugar?
Fewer/less: History, <...> measurement? Less than <number> of <count noun>.
he/she will have <fewer/less> limitations when understanding ...
Less vs Fewer: The supermarket signs, 10 items or less?
The green automobile has <fewer/less> emissions ...
The NHS needs to have <fewer/less> staff ...
There are <fewer/less> fish. <Fewer/less> people study ...
There are <fewer/less> people ...
There are <fewer/less> than 50 horses left on the farm
Words with <fewer/less> than four letters ...

I hope these discussions are helpful.