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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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a much lesser time

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a much lesser time" is not correct in standard English usage.
It is typically used to compare durations, but "lesser" is not the appropriate term; "shorter" would be more suitable. Example: "We completed the project in a much shorter time than expected."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

Wiki

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Charcoal is used as a microwave absorbing material that raises its temperature in a much lesser time, while calcium chloride for the favorable formation of KCl.

This amount of glucose will be consumed by erythrocytes alone just in 20 30 minutes, and, in a much lesser time, if glucose is also consumed by the brain, spinal cord, heart, skeletal muscles, kidneys, and liver.

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

We can see that training a PLDA model on the i-vector takes much lesser time than for the i-supervector.

By reconfiguring the pins, a single tool can be used in the place of multiple tools to produce different parts with the involvement of much lesser time and cost.

Though rolled joint detachment by induction heating has been used earlier in CANDU reactors for removal of pressure tubes and calandria tubes, the present design incorporates a liquid nitrogen based faster cooling arrangement and an integrated load application and gripping module for detachment and removal of pressure tube from the end fitting in much lesser time.

Though the defassa waterbuck were found to have a much greater requirement for protein than the African buffalo and the Beisa oryx, the waterbuck was found to spend much lesser time on browsing (eating leaves, small shoots and fruits) in comparison to the other grazers.

Plastic BBs are harder to clean up, but consume much lesser time to find, where as Biodegradable is all-natural, and will not require cleaning, but are a bit harder to find, and you might be impatient, and anxious to just shoot your gun.

To a much lesser extent, time-resolved, fluorescence measurements have also been explored for tissue characterization.

Similar molecules are also found to accumulate in the wt and Polg+/mut mice, but to a much lesser extent (10- 100 times lower).

Science

Aging

In contrast, treatment with miglitol at the dosages used in the present study increased AST and ALT to a much lesser extent (≤1.8 times to upper limit of normal) [ 17].

Even so, he was, very noticeably, a much lesser hit than last time around.Some of his jokes (including one about the Emperor Diocletian) fell flat.

News & Media

The Economist
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing durations, use "shorter" instead of "lesser" for grammatical correctness. For example, prefer "a much shorter time" over "a much lesser time".

Common error

Avoid using "lesser" to describe time duration. "Lesser" typically refers to importance or degree, not duration. Always use "shorter" when referring to time.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

86%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a much lesser time" functions as a comparative adjective phrase intended to describe a shorter duration. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, the term "lesser" is not grammatically appropriate for describing time; "shorter" is the more suitable term.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

Wiki

20%

News & Media

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a much lesser time" is used to describe a shorter duration, but it is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, "lesser" is not the appropriate term for describing time; "shorter" is preferred. Although examples exist in scientific and general contexts, it is advisable to use alternatives like "a much shorter time" or "a considerably shorter time" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness, particularly in formal writing. The phrase's infrequent and questionable usage impacts its overall reliability and suitability.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "a much lesser time"?

The correct way to phrase it is to use "a much shorter time". "Lesser" isn't typically used to describe duration.

Can I use "a much lesser time" in formal writing?

No, it's best to avoid "a much lesser time" in formal writing. Use alternatives like "a considerably shorter time" for better clarity and grammatical correctness.

What does "a much lesser time" imply, and why is it not preferred?

While understandable, "a much lesser time" is not grammatically sound. It attempts to convey a shorter duration, but the correct term is "shorter time". Using "lesser" can sound awkward or incorrect to native English speakers.

Are there other phrases similar to "a much lesser time" that I can use?

Yes, you can use alternatives like "a significantly shorter time", "a far shorter duration", or "a substantially reduced time" depending on the context.

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

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Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: