FAO Spades
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FAO Spades
Good day, your Majesty. Education required. I came across this sentence in a book I was reading and know you’ll be able to tell me why one is grammatically correct and the other isn’t.
“Express checkouts at the supermarket are irritating enough just for saying ‘five items or less’ when grammatically speaking it should be ‘five items or fewer’”.
My English language ‘O’ level didn’t cover this level.
Thank you.
“Express checkouts at the supermarket are irritating enough just for saying ‘five items or less’ when grammatically speaking it should be ‘five items or fewer’”.
My English language ‘O’ level didn’t cover this level.
Thank you.
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Re: FAO Spades
One can have less of a thing (singular)... or fewer things (plural), e.g. less sugar, or fewer grains of sugar
In your example "5 items or fewer", items is plural so fewer is correct.
In your example "5 items or fewer", items is plural so fewer is correct.
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Re: FAO Spades
Hello huw.
'fewer' should be used when the subject you are talking about can be counted e.g. marbles - There are fewer marbles in my tin than in his.
'less' should be used when talking about one thing e.g. butter - There is less butter on my toast than on yours.
Always notice whether you are using 'are' and 'were' or 'is' and 'was'. Are/were = fewer. Is/was = less.
'fewer' should be used when the subject you are talking about can be counted e.g. marbles - There are fewer marbles in my tin than in his.
'less' should be used when talking about one thing e.g. butter - There is less butter on my toast than on yours.
Always notice whether you are using 'are' and 'were' or 'is' and 'was'. Are/were = fewer. Is/was = less.
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Re: FAO Spades
That wretched !aibo beat me to it. I didn't bring him up to beat me to it!
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Re: FAO Spades
Apologies - I knew I shouldn't have! Just demonstrating that I did listen occasionally
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Re: FAO Spades
The less said the better. (or not in this case)
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Re: FAO Spades
Thank you both. Such a simple answer and I’d never come across it before. It won’t be forgotten.
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Re: FAO Spades
He even beat me to it with his 'like'. Grrr!
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Re: FAO Spades
Bit slow their spades.
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Re: FAO Spades
Unless the toast was being spread with the little foil sachets of butter?spadesclaret wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 9:36 pmHello huw.
'fewer' should be used when the subject you are talking about can be counted e.g. marbles - There are fewer marbles in my tin than in his.
'less' should be used when talking about one thing e.g. butter - There is less butter on my toast than on yours.
Always notice whether you are using 'are' and 'were' or 'is' and 'was'. Are/were = fewer. Is/was = less.
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Re: FAO Spades
In which case it would be, 'There are fewer little foil sachets of butter on my toast than on yours.'
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Re: FAO Spades
The Enclosure wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 12:57 amSurprised you did not spot the two errors above your Majesty
TheLovelyEnclosure, it was tybfc. What do you expect?
Re: FAO Spades
I think quite a few who post on here have lost their marbles.spadesclaret wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 9:36 pmHello huw.
'fewer' should be used when the subject you are talking about can be counted e.g. marbles - There are fewer marbles in my tin than in his.
'less' should be used when talking about one thing e.g. butter - There is less butter on my toast than on yours.
Always notice whether you are using 'are' and 'were' or 'is' and 'was'. Are/were = fewer. Is/was = less.
At times it feels like I am one of them.
My hate is when people talk about something that differs to when I always feel it should be differ from, but maybe I am too much of a pedant.
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Re: FAO Spades
should be:
The fewer said the butter!
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Re: FAO Spades
The same applies with regard to 'amount' and 'number.'
An amount of money, for example, but a number of coins.
And most definitely NOT an 'amount' of people!
An amount of money, for example, but a number of coins.
And most definitely NOT an 'amount' of people!
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Re: FAO Spades
Learned at school and never forgotten :-
"Similar to says sister sue,
Different from says brother Tom"
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Re: FAO Spades
Less is more
Re: FAO Spades
Moron minus the ox?
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Re: FAO Spades
All right there, mate? - Congrats on your new username.
I'm still writing the book! It's been eight years now, and I'm still only 70% done.
Thanks for your interest.
I'm still writing the book! It's been eight years now, and I'm still only 70% done.
Thanks for your interest.
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Re: FAO Spades
No, Ty: it's about the fire brigade.
I'm sure Sean will write his own one day, though.
I'm sure Sean will write his own one day, though.
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Re: FAO Spades
Keep this under your bonnet, your Maj.
MinnieClaret
PistonBroke
TrickyTrevor
Huw.....
Looks daft but somebody once accused me of posting to get likes so I quietly change every time I reach 1k.
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Re: FAO Spades
Still waiting as I’ll have one because I’ll know some of your colleagues.
You’ll make a fortune on the film rights.
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Re: FAO Spades
I should ‘like’ your posthuw.Y.WattfromWare wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 4:13 pmLooks daft but somebody once accused me of posting to get likes so I quietly change every time I reach 1k.
...but you’re clearly just posting to get one!
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Re: FAO Spades
huw.Y.WattfromWare wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 4:13 pmKeep this under your bonnet, your Maj.
MinnieClaret
PistonBroke
TrickyTrevor
Huw.....
Looks daft but somebody once accused me of posting to get likes so I quietly change every time I reach 1k.
I think I once said Tricky Trevor was my favourite poster
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Re: FAO Spades
I’d have no idea why but thank you.xx
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Re: FAO Spades
I think you said something nice about me but I can't remember what or why.
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Re: FAO Spades
He clearly has problemsspadesclaret wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 4:37 pmI think you said something nice about me but I can't remember what or why.
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Re: FAO Spades
Sorry but it’s difficult not to kind to someone who educates me, posts beautiful pictures and avoids political threads.
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Re: FAO Spades
Oh I know and those are her bad days
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Re: FAO Spades
Ty, I am so pleased you are feeling better.