a fewer amount of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a fewer amount of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to denote an amount that is smaller than usual or expected. For example: "Due to the poor harvest, the farmer harvested a fewer amount of wheat than expected."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Multi-target regression algorithms can compensate for a fewer amount of training instances available for a problem by exploiting the knowledge of a similar problem.

Journal of Cheminformatics

MR: Do you prefer recording with a fewer amount of tracks?

Huffington Post

There was found a fewer amount of glycoproteins bound to Con A. According to the molecular weight corresponding to the glycoproteins found, these might be present in the T. cruzi extract as well (190, 130, and 112 kDa).

BioMed Research International

For example, buy a specific brand of beer that contains a fewer amount of calories, or drink 1 glass of wine instead of 2 or 3 glasses.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"It's a massive amount of people going for just a few amount of calls".

The New York Times

The starting red mud was found to contain hematite, katoite, cancrinite and a few amount of diaspore, which hardly dissolved and participated in the geopolymerization reaction.

Construction and Building Materials

Microstructure of air cooled specimen consists of lower bainite with a few amount of lath martensite, whereas a mixture of lath martensite and lower bainite in prior pan-caked austenite grains has also been obtained on water quenching.

Journal of Alloys and Compounds

Addition of a few amount of Cu to DLC resulted in a rise in plastic hardness and H3/E2 ratio of Cu/DLC composite thin films, but optimum value was observed for composite films having an intermediate Cu concentration.

Surface and Coatings Technology

"I just try to provide hope, knowing that if we're down a few amount of points in the fourth quarter, that we got a chance to win," Stoudemire said.

The New York Times - Sports

In any case, the performance of the 1D-PLS and 2D-PLS methods converges with a few amount of components and remains stable.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Do not go into random video game lobbies/video game Xbox live parties with a few amount of people.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a fewer amount of", ensure the context clearly indicates that you are referring to something quantifiable but potentially seen as a mass noun. For instance, "a fewer amount of resources" might be better phrased as "fewer resources."

Common error

Avoid using "fewer" with uncountable nouns; instead, use "less". "Fewer" is for countable nouns, while "less" is for uncountable nouns. For example, it's correct to say "fewer cars" but "less traffic."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a fewer amount of" functions as a quantifier, specifying a reduced quantity. It modifies a noun, indicating that the quantity is less than some expected or previously stated amount. Ludwig provides examples where this phrase is used in scientific, news, and general contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a fewer amount of" is grammatically sound, although Ludwig indicates its usage is relatively rare. It functions as a quantifier, indicating a reduced quantity that is countable but sometimes perceived as a mass. While correct, it's often more concise and stylistically preferable to use simply "fewer" when referring to countable nouns. Ludwig AI helps clarify its validity and provides examples across science, news, and general contexts, highlighting its versatile but infrequent nature. Alternatives include "a smaller quantity of" or "a reduced number of", adjusting for countability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a smaller quantity of

Replaces "amount" with "quantity" emphasizing the measurable aspect.

a lower quantity of

Similar to "a smaller quantity of" but emphasizes a decrease in level.

a reduced number of

Substitutes "fewer amount" with "reduced number" changing the focus to countability.

a diminished quantity of

Uses "diminished" instead of "fewer" for a more formal tone.

a lesser quantity of

Replaces "smaller" with "lesser" making the sentence more formal.

a minimal quantity of

Emphasizes that the quantity is the smallest possible.

a curtailed quantity of

Uses "curtailed" to indicate that the amount has been restricted.

a scarce quantity of

Highlights the limited availability of the quantity.

a lighter quantity of

Emphasizes that the amount is physically lighter.

a trifling quantity of

Highlights the insignificance of the quantity.

FAQs

When is it appropriate to use "a fewer amount of"?

Use "a fewer amount of" when referring to a quantity that can be seen as a mass noun or an abstract quantity, but where the individual components are countable. However, in most cases it's better to simplify to just "fewer".

What are some alternatives to using "a fewer amount of"?

You can use alternatives like "a smaller quantity of" or "a reduced number of", depending on whether you want to emphasize volume or count.

Is "a fewer amount of" grammatically correct?

Yes, "a fewer amount of" is grammatically correct, but it is not as common or stylistically preferred as simpler alternatives like "fewer". Ludwig AI confirms this usage.

How does "a fewer amount of" compare to "less"?

"Fewer" is generally used with countable nouns, while "less" is used with uncountable nouns. Therefore, you'd say "fewer apples" but "less juice". "A fewer amount of" tries to bridge this gap but can often be replaced by "fewer".