Match Wits With Our Word Wizards

(Illustrated version of Word Wizards)

Shibboleths in English

less, fewer, and lesser

In each sentence, select the best word for formal writing:

• More families today spend (less/fewer) time together at the dinner table.
• The (less/ fewer /lesser ) you worry, the (less / fewer) your headaches.
• Health Maintenance Organizations allow subscribers (less/fewer) options in choosing where they will be treated and by whom.
• The professor had (less/fewer) publications than his colleagues.
• The total lower mass results in (less /fewer) launches required for delivery.
• Teachers should emphasize that television is of (less/ fewer /lesser) importance than reading.
• Some health-conscious Americans are revising their old recipes to include (less/ fewer) sugar and (less/ fewer) high-fat products.
• The ion content is (less/ fewer /lesser ) than 1 percent at energies below 30 eV.
• The (less/ fewer /lesser) money you receive, the (less/fewer /lesser) you'll be obligated.
• Many universities now require (less / fewer) English classes for graduation.
• In many November elections, you may have found yourself pondering which candidate was the (less/ fewer /lesser) evil.
• These results are similar to those observed in reference 8 but are of (less/ fewer /lesser magnitude.
• If El Nino brings a warmer than usual Cleveland winter, we'll need (less/ fewer) clothes and (less/fewer /lesser ) natural gas.

For an explanation of less, fewer, and lesser, see Quirks of English.