a less time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a less time" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression would be "less time" without the article "a." Example: "I need less time to complete this project than I initially thought."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Energy Conversion and Management

The Washington Post

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Gene

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Applied Water Science

Nanoscale Research Letters

AMB Express

Plosone

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Cancer and Metastasis Reviews

Database : the journal of biological databases and curation

BMC Genomics

BMC Health Services Research

WikiHow

The New York Times - Style

The New York Times - Travel

Analytica Chimica Acta

The New York Times

The Economist

Environmental Sciences Europe

EJNMMI Research

Forbes

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Protein & Cell

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Critical Ultrasound Journal

Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry

Journal of Analytical Science and Technology

Aging Cell

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

By applying H∞ robust control, system tracks the desire reference inputs in a less time and with smoother time responses.

Energy Conversion and Management

I was thinking about how we're willing to pay more for the exact same ingredients prepared in a less time and labor intensive process.

The Washington Post

A given weight moves a given distance in a given time; a weight which is as great and more moves the same distance in a less time, the times being in inverse proportion to the weights.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Let A and B be infinites, CD being the time of the action A of upon B. Now the whole B was modified in a certain time, and the part of this infinite, E, cannot be so modified in the same time, since we assume that a less quantity makes the movement in a less time.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Thus, our findings would be helpful in strengthening the global database with the sequence of archived fish species as well as an effective identification tool of the traded ornamental fish species, as a less time consuming, cost effective field-based application.

Gene

In this clinical context, a less time consuming tool would be of interest.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

Plus, it's a less time-consuming process".

The New York Times - Style

A less time-consuming side trip more in keeping with the festival's theme would be a visit to the Highland Village Museum in Iona.

The New York Times - Travel

A less time-, solvent- and sorbent-consuming analytical methodology for the determination of bisphenol A and alkylphenols (4-tert-octylphenol, 4-octylphenol, 4-n-nonylphenol, nonylphenol) in marine sediment was developed and validated.

Analytica Chimica Acta

But after seeing Anne Hathaway's effortlessly voluptuous locks in "Love and Other Drugs, Ms. Korenn, a mother of one 13-month-old and an entrepreneur in Raleigh, N.C., began wondering if there were a less time-consuming and a less uncomfortable way of creating long, flowing curls.

The New York Times

On social media, people advised the robbers that there is a less time-consuming way to get your hands on a pile of cash: befriend the bank manager.Bangladesh's government banks are normally fleeced at street level during opening hours, in plain sight.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing duration, always use "less time" instead of "a less time". For instance, say "This process takes less time".

Common error

The incorrect phrase "a less time" often appears due to confusion with countable nouns. Remember that "time" is an uncountable noun in this context, so it does not require the article "a".

Linguistic Context

The phrase functions as a determiner phrase aiming to quantify duration. However, according to Ludwig AI, the inclusion of the article "a" is grammatically incorrect, despite its occurrence in various sources.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "a less time" appears in various contexts, including scientific literature and news articles, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""less time"" without the article "a", as "time" is uncountable in this context. Despite its frequent usage, especially in describing "less time consuming" processes, adhering to the correct grammatical form enhances clarity and credibility. When referring to specific, countable units, "fewer hours" is the appropriate choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

less time-consuming

Describes something that requires less time to complete.

shorter duration

Focuses on the brevity of an event or process.

reduced time frame

Emphasizes a shorter duration allocated for a specific activity or process.

time-efficient

Focuses on maximizing productivity within a given timeframe.

faster completion

Highlights the speed at which something is finished.

decreased time investment

Highlights a reduction in the amount of time spent on something.

minimal time commitment

Stresses the small amount of time required.

quicker turnaround

Implies a faster completion or response time.

expedited timeframe

Suggests an accelerated or hastened schedule.

abbreviated timeline

Refers to a shortened plan or schedule of events.

FAQs

How do I properly use "less time" in a sentence?

Use "less time" without the article "a" to indicate a shorter duration. For example, "I need "less time" to finish this task."

Is it grammatically correct to say "a less time"?

No, it's grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is simply ""less time"" without the article "a". The noun "time" is uncountable in this context.

What are some alternatives to saying "a less time consuming process"?

Consider using phrases like "less time consuming", "more efficient", or "quicker depending on the specific context.

What's the difference between "fewer hours" and "less time"?

"Fewer hours" is used for countable units of time (hours, minutes, seconds), while ""less time"" is used for time in general, which is uncountable.