Less (than) & Fewer (than) (Explained in Hindi)

‘Less (than)’ का प्रयोग uncountable nouns के साथ होता है; जबकि ‘fewer (than)’ का प्रयोग plural countable nouns के साथ होता है; जैसे

a) Mix less water with the paint. (‘Water’ एक uncountable noun होती है.)
b) This proposal will mean fewer jobs. (‘Job’ एक countable noun होती है.)

NOTE-I: किसी comparative adjective के पहले ‘Less’ का प्रयोग नहीं किया जाता क्योंकि ‘less’ खुद ही एक comparative degree का adjective होता है; जैसे

INCORRECT: It is less hotter than it was yesterday.
CORRECT: It is less hot than it was yesterday.

NOTE-II: किसी दूरी अथवा पैसों की बात के लिए ‘less’ का use किया जाता है चाहे noun countable ही क्यों न हो;  जैसे

INCORRECT: Reema said that the market was two kilometers away, but I thought it was fewer than that.
CORRECT: Reema said that the market was two kilometers away, but I thought it was less than that.

INCORRECT: No flat could be found here for fewer than 60 lac rupees.
CORRECT: No flat could be found here for less than 60 lac rupees.

INCORRECT: I travelled fewer than 400 kilometers.
CORRECT: I travelled less than 400 kilometers.

NOTE-III: Percentages के लिए ‘less’ और ‘fewer’ दोनों में से किसी का भी use शुद्ध होता है; जैसे

Less than 40 percent of the students were present in the school today.
= Fewer than 40 percent of the students were present in the school today.

For more chapters/topics on English Grammar read the following book authored by me.

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For English Practice Sets on various topics read the following book authored by me.

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Less (than) & Fewer (than) (Explained in English)

We use ‘less (than)’ with uncountable nouns and ‘fewer (than)’ with plural countable nouns; e.g.

a) Mix less water with the paint. (‘Water’ is an uncountable noun.)
b) This proposal will mean fewer jobs. (‘Job’ is a countable noun.)

NOTE-I: We don’t use ‘less’ before a comparative adjective; e.g.

INCORRECT: It is less hotter than it was yesterday.
CORRECT: It is less hot than it was yesterday.

NOTE-II: When we talk about a ‘distance’ or ‘sum of money’ we use ‘less (not ‘fewer’).

INCORRECT: Reema said that the market was two kilometers away, but I thought it was fewer than that.
CORRECT: Reema said that the market was two kilometers away, but I thought it was less than that.

INCORRECT: No flat could be found here for fewer than 60 lac rupees.
CORRECT: No flat could be found here for less than 60 lac rupees.

INCORRECT: I travelled fewer than 400 kilometers.
CORRECT: I travelled less than 400 kilometers.

NOTE-III: With percentages we can use either of ‘less than’ and ‘fewer than’.

Less than 40 percent of the students were present in the school today.
= Fewer than 40 percent of the students were present in the school today.

For more chapters/topics on English Grammar read the following book authored by me.

Link for buying the above book

For English Practice Sets on various topics read the following book authored by me.

Link for buying the above book