a fewer

USAGE SUMMARY

'a fewer' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to indicate a smaller amount of something, and should only be used when discussing countable things (i.e. things that can be numbered). For example: "I have a fewer number of apples than I had yesterday."

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A: Fewer M.D.s are going into research than in the past.

Science Magazine

There are a fewer independent stereo stores.

The New York Times

HIRSCHBERG: But a fewer number of hours can mean more pressure.

The New York Times - Magazine

But in a fewer than 1,000 words they changed the course of biology.

The New York Times - Science

Paddy Power has argued that it has a fewer shops than competitors and was forced to concentrate in urban areas.

The Guardian

"The peaches are large," she said, "because the trees could put all those nutrients into a fewer number".

The New York Times

A fewer farmers are also the members of local government.

Complex Adaptive Systems Modeling

Nonetheless, the study of systems with a fewer number of actuators has been in progress.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

RQ 2 : Does F3T result in a outcome framework with a fewer number of problems?

Journal of Software Engineering Research and Development

This is shown so that a fewer number of noninterfering paths are selected.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

However, only a fewer iPS-mice were produced compared with wild-type R1 ESCs (Fig. 1D).

Protein & Cell

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a fewer", ensure it modifies a countable noun. For example, "a fewer number of books", not "a fewer amount of water".

Common error

Avoid using "a fewer" with uncountable nouns. The correct phrase for uncountable nouns is "a less". For example, it's incorrect to say "a fewer water"; instead, say "a less water".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a fewer" functions as a determiner, specifically a quantifier, modifying countable nouns. While it aims to indicate a smaller quantity, as seen in Ludwig's examples, it is often debated for its grammatical correctness. Ludwig shows common usage across diverse sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while "a fewer" is often used to denote a smaller quantity of countable items, its grammatical correctness is debated. As Ludwig AI explains, it appears across various contexts, including scientific, news, and business writing. To ensure clarity and grammatical precision, consider alternatives like "fewer" or "a smaller number of", especially in formal settings. While commonly found in various sources, be mindful of the potential for grammatical scrutiny.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fewer

Omits the article "a", making it grammatically standard.

a smaller number of

Replaces "fewer" with a phrase indicating quantity.

a reduced number of

Uses "reduced" to emphasize the decrease.

a lower number of

Replaces "fewer" with "lower" to denote a decrease.

a diminished amount of

Shifts from "fewer" to "amount", suitable for uncountable nouns when applicable.

a less significant number of

Adds emphasis to the reduction's importance.

a curtailed amount of

Uses "curtailed" to suggest a formal reduction.

a decreased quantity of

Emphasizes quantity decrease more formally.

a limited number of

Indicates a restriction or constraint on the number.

a scarce number of

Suggests that the number is unusually low or rare.

FAQs

Is "a fewer" grammatically correct?

While some grammar purists may disagree, "a fewer" is used in contemporary English, particularly before "number". It's more accepted in certain contexts, such as scientific writing or news articles.

When should I use "a fewer" instead of /s/fewer?

Use "a fewer" when you want to emphasize the reduction or limitation in number, often followed by "number of" to clarify the countable aspect. Using just "fewer" is generally more grammatically standard.

What are some alternatives to using "a fewer" in a sentence?

Alternatives include "a smaller number of", "a reduced number of", or simply "fewer", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

How does "a fewer" differ from "a less"?

"A fewer" is used with countable nouns, while "a less" is used with uncountable nouns. For instance, "a fewer number of cars" versus "a less amount of water".