- By Jim Evans
- Entertainment
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Smart TalkSMART TALK by by Dr. Clark Chousie
ONE LESS PERSON: The Institute for the Linguistically Impaired runs its outreach program through field therapists Tom and Ray Magliozzi, who teach English as a First Language (EFL), using as cover a National Public Radio call-in show about cars.
One of their tasks is to teach the difference between less and fewer. They're careful to say less gas and fewer cars.
Less refers to quantity. You wouldn't say fewer milk, because you're not counting it. You're talking about the size of just one amount, so you'd say more milk. Please.
Fewer refers to number. You wouldn't say less people; you'd say fewer people, because you're counting them, or at least referring to some number.
Each week, Tom and Ray hope there's one person fewer - NOT one less person - who confuses these words.
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