but less that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "but less that" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "but less than"? If this is the case, you can use it when making a comparison to indicate that one quantity is smaller than another. Example: "I prefer this model, but less than the previous version."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

By definition, during a time interval of length S, a point on the orbit Γ ℓ makes more that n ¯ ( S, ℓ ) − 1 half-turns around the origin, but less that n ̲ ( S, ℓ ) + 1 half-turns.

Boundary Value Problems

We defined periods of the trace where the speed was greater that 1.5°/s but less that 30°/s to be 'pursuit' movements, where gaze was most likely 'tracking' a moving object in the film.

Plosone

At both sites, drug susceptibility to KAF156 was significantly greater than that for chloroquine but less that than for artesunate (P < 0.001 in Kruskal-Wallis analysis).

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy

The reality, however, is that over 90% of pregnant women attend a health facility at least once but less that 50% return to deliver their babies [ 7].

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"I think it does change it (surfing)... but much less that we think," wrote Wavegarden media rep Felipe Verger.

Vice

Philosophically we recognize that the past informs our present but realize less that our present actions and thoughts dictate our future.

BMC Ophthalmology

The fairness among traffic flows with e-TICA2 is better than that with TICA but less than that with e-TICA.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

This value of sensitivity is greater than that achieved by Agenda, but less than that achieved by Utopia and Progen.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

Compounds having a C-2 4-acetylaminophenyl, or 4- 2,4-difluorophenyl phenyl, moiety exhibited anti-inflammatory activities that were equipotent to aspirin, but less than that of celecoxib.

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry

It can be scary but it will hurt less that way.

WikiHow

There was agreement that staff had adequate skills and good relationships but less agreement that team morale was high.

BMC Health Services Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "than" instead of "that" when making comparisons. Remember the phrase 'better than' as a mnemonic to ensure correct usage.

Common error

A common mistake is using "that" instead of "than" in comparative sentences. Double-check your sentences to ensure you are using the correct word to avoid grammatical errors. For example, say "This car is faster "than" that one", not "This car is faster that that one".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "but less that" is intended to function as a comparative conjunction, aiming to connect two clauses while indicating that the second clause has a lesser degree or quantity than the first. Ludwig AI identifies this as grammatically incorrect, advising against its use.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

37%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "but less that" appears in various sources, it is considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI flags it as such, recommending the use of "but less "than"" instead. Although it attempts to serve as a comparative conjunction to express a lesser degree, its incorrect grammar undermines its effectiveness. Correcting this phrase will improve clarity and credibility, especially in formal and professional contexts. Remember to use "than" for comparisons.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

but less than

Corrects the grammatical error by using the proper comparative conjunction 'than' instead of 'that'.

but not as much as

Replaces the phrase with a more descriptive and grammatically sound comparison.

but to a lesser extent than

Offers a more formal and precise way of expressing a smaller degree.

but smaller than

Uses a direct adjective to express a quantitative difference.

but not as significant as

Focuses on the comparative significance or importance rather than quantity.

but not quite as

Implies a slight deficiency or difference compared to something else.

but somewhat below

Indicates a relative position lower than a specific benchmark.

however fewer

Emphasizes a numerical difference, especially when discussing countable items.

though not exceeding

Sets an upper limit that is lower than a certain value or level.

but marginally under

Suggests a small or slight difference below a given level.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "but less that"?

The correct phrase is "but less "than"". The word "than" is used for comparisons.

Can I use "but less that" in a sentence?

While you might encounter "but less that" in some contexts, it's grammatically incorrect. It's better to use "but less "than"".

What's the difference between "but less that" and "but less than"?

"But less that" is grammatically incorrect, while "but less "than"" is the correct comparative phrase. "Than" is used to compare two things.

What can I say instead of "but less that"?

Use alternatives like "but less "than"", "but not as much as", or "but to a lesser extent than" depending on the context.