FEWER OR LESS

“What can I say? I was an English major.”
What do you see in this picture? Please write your answers in COMPLETE sentences.

1. Where do you think this takes place? ____________________________________________________________
2. Have you ever seen this sign?

__________________________________.
If so, where?
____________________________________________________________
3. What is an “English major?” ____________________________________________________________
Circle your answer.
4. The words “What can I say? I was an English major.” were spoken by
the ( customer / cashier ).
5. The word “fewer” was written by the ( customer / cashier ).

6. “What can I say?” means “There is nothing more to say except. . .” so the meaning of “What can I say? I was an English major” is this:



GRAMMAR A. Let’s make a list of nouns. Work with a partner.

1. COUNT (plural) NON-COUNT











2. Why did the cashier cross out the word “less” and write in “fewer”?
He crossed out the word “less” and wrote in the word “fewer” because ______________________________________________________________________ .

COMPARISONS WITH FEWER and LESS
B. Use the word “fewer” with count plural nouns
such as fewer potatoes, fewer people, fewer classes .
1. She eats fewer potatoes now than she used to because she wants to lose weight.
2. There are fewer people here when it’s bad weather.
3. I am taking fewer classes this semester than I did last semester.
4. How many items can you have if you go to this cashier?

5. YOUR TURN Write one sentence using FEWER with a count plural noun.


C. Use “less” with non-count nouns such as less rice, less homework, less time.
1. My husband eats less rice now than he did when he was younger.
2. Sally gives us less homework than Mary does.
3. I have less time for watching TV now than I did when I was unemployed.

6. YOUR TURN Write one sentence using LESS with a non-count noun.

________________________________________________________________________
YOUR TURN
Choose two more nouns (one count and one non-count) and write two more sentences.

7.

8.______________________________________________________________________