2006-07-20 23:05:23 · 14 answers · asked by languagespotter 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Fewer people is correct. "Less people" is used by people who do not talk English to good.
Sadly some people won't even spot the irony in the above comment.
2006-07-20 23:07:51 · answer #1 · answered by Friseal 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Generally, "people" is a plural, "person" being the singular quantity. Thus, it's countable, making "fewer" the correct form.
However, when talking about a "mass" of people, we sometimes think of that mass as uncountable ... making "less" the correct form to use; anyway, "people" remains a plural!
"Fewer" is grammatically correct; "less" is in common use whenever we think of people not as individuals (i.e. many persons); this may not be correct - and somewhat cynical - but it appears to be permissable in "modern English".
2006-07-21 06:18:13 · answer #2 · answered by Axel "mahto" 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fewer is the correct word in all circumstances as this relates to a number of things. You would use less when refering to an amount of something like "less money" or "less flour". But you would have "fewer coins" or "fewer bags of flour".
2006-07-21 06:14:42 · answer #3 · answered by Lewiy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The correct way to decide it is this: fewer if the items can be counted. Less if they can't. So fewer people, but less noise.
2006-07-21 06:09:07 · answer #4 · answered by Roxy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
fewer things, less stuff
It makes me mad in the supermarket where the sign at the checkout says '10 items or less'.
Might sound anal but these things matter - we've already bred a generation who are unable to communicate properly because of the 'anything goes in language' attitude. Try asking big employers, struggling to find new recruits who can communicate, whether spelling and grammar matter.
2006-07-21 06:46:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
"less people" is not correct, it should be "fewer people"
2006-07-21 12:05:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is better to say there where not many of them.....or there was hardly anyone .......but if u insist of just choosing one among that u have given..fewer people is better.hope this answer helped u
2006-07-21 06:12:58 · answer #7 · answered by neha 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
fewer people - IS THE CORRECT WAY...
2006-07-21 06:09:10 · answer #8 · answered by Hedgehog 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, this sounds correct. I can still here my dad's voice saying - "no, no, no that's no correct!" Oh, why is dad always right. Well mabye not all the times!
2006-07-21 06:10:23 · answer #9 · answered by victory 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think you can use both,,, it depends what context you are saying...
there are FEWER people there then last year...
there are less people this year
2006-07-21 06:08:40 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋