a very less

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a very less" is not correct in written English.
It is incorrect because "less" is typically used in comparative contexts and should not be preceded by "very." Example: "There is a very less chance of rain today."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Most of the active molecules have a very less cytotoxicity against the human lung cancer cell-line A549.

European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

Similarly, diamond quilted stitched shows a very less drawing-in values both in warp and weft directions.

Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing

The Godavari rift valley in the south Indian shield, located over a paleosuture between the Dharwar and Singhbhum cratons is a very less studied region in terms of its deep seismic structure.

Precambrian Research

Experimental results show that our proposals are very interesting because they achieve better solutions than the single-objective optimization algorithms proposed by other authors in a very less execution time.

Journal of Network and Computer Applications

Therefore, it is evident that adding surfactant has a very less effect, which can be avoided.

Renewables: Wind, Water, and Solar

If the image information content is greater, then a very less p value will be chosen.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Although used as a remedy for multiple ailments like airway, gastric and cardiovascular ailment, H. strigosum is a very less-researched plant, as no detailed pharmacological studies exist.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

This is more of an emotional and very less of a physical relationship.

Vice

The amount of information stored in a barcode is very less as compared to RFID.

Fashion and Textiles

With an audience that is always on the go, the chances of a website being viewed on a conventional desktop are very less.

WikiHow

Go Air Number of training captains is "very less vis-a-vis the total number of pilots in the company".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "a very less" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "a much smaller" or "a significantly lower".

Common error

The word "less" is already a comparative term. Adding "very" is redundant and grammatically incorrect. Instead of trying to intensify "less", choose a different adjective like "smaller", "lower", or "reduced" and modify that instead, creating phrases like "much smaller."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a very less" functions as a determiner phrase attempting to modify a noun. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, it is grammatically incorrect due to the improper use of "very" with the comparative adjective "less".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

47%

News & Media

29%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Academia

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a very less" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment, noting that "less" is already comparative and doesn't require "very". Despite its presence in various sources, including scientific and news publications, it is advisable to use grammatically correct alternatives like "a much smaller" or "a significantly lower" to ensure clarity and precision in writing. While its frequency is "common", favoring correct phrasing enhances credibility and professionalism.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

A much smaller

Emphasizes the difference in size or amount, using "much" to intensify "smaller".

A significantly lower

Highlights a considerable reduction or decrease.

A considerably smaller

Indicates a notable difference in size or degree.

A substantially reduced

Focuses on the idea that something has been lessened to a great extent.

A markedly diminished

Emphasizes that something has noticeably decreased.

A greatly decreased

Highlights a large reduction in quantity or degree.

A substantially less

Focuses on the idea that something is lessened to a great extent.

A far smaller

Emphasizes a significant difference in size.

A distinctly lower

Highlights a clear and noticeable reduction.

A palpably less

Emphasizes that something is easily perceived as reduced.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "less" in a sentence?

Use "less" to compare quantities. For example, "There is less water in this glass than that one." To emphasize the difference, use "much less" or "far less."

What's a better way to say "a very less"?

Alternatives include "a much smaller" amount, "a significantly lower" value, or "a considerably smaller" number, depending on the context.

Is "a very less" grammatically correct?

No, "a very less" is not grammatically correct. "Less" is already a comparative adjective, so adding "very" is redundant. Use alternatives such as "much smaller" or "significantly lower" instead.

What are common mistakes when using "less"?

A common mistake is using "less" when "fewer" is appropriate. "Less" is for uncountable nouns (e.g., "less water"), while "fewer" is for countable nouns (e.g., "fewer apples"). Another is incorrectly modifying "less" with "very".