fewer amount of time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fewer amount of time" is not correct in standard English.
The correct expression should be "less amount of time" since "time" is an uncountable noun. Example: "I need less amount of time to complete this task than I initially thought."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Considering the fewer amount of time students spend in main homes, there was an evident negative impact of that factor on family joint activities.

BMC Public Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

To avoid loops, priority is systematically given to nodes which have not yet been visited, or have been visited the fewest amount of times.

Plosone

According to duration, memories may be short-term, lasting from minutes to a few hours, the amount of time necessary for long-term memories to be consolidated (Izquierdo, 2011).

Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica

But despite the paperwork burden, there are few studies on the amount of time current doctors devote to charting, ordering, filling out forms and dictating.

The New York Times - Health

It took a few years before the amount of time devoted to politics and business were reversed.

Forbes

Allow the showerhead to simmer for a few minutes - the amount of time needed depends on the amount of build-up - keep a close eye on it.

WikiHow

You can do this to several flowers or just a few, depending on the amount of time you have and the growth you're trying to promote.

WikiHow

That might sound like good news (at least they don't get frustrated and leave immediately), but it means that if the site is running slowly users are going to be seeing fewer pages in the same amount of time, which Facebook obviously doesn't want.

TechCrunch

Resiliency of an orbit could potentially be defined as the availability of atmospheric and gravitational forces to cause debris to reenter the atmosphere in a reasonable amount of time (a few days to a few years).

International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

As far as ecosystem dynamics were concerned, an ecosystem might be able to weather the extinction of one or even a few species in a short amount of time, depending on how important they were.

Encyclopedia Britannica

One local news station reported on 3 December that Aaron Elswick, a neighbor of one of Farook's mother, recalled hearing yet another neighbor say – in Elswick's words: "She had noticed that they had, I guess, been receiving packages, quite a few packages within a short amount of time.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "fewer amount of time". Instead, opt for "less time" or "shorter time" for clear and grammatically correct communication. For instance, instead of saying "I need a fewer amount of time to complete the task", say "I need less time to complete the task".

Common error

The mistake in using "fewer amount of time" lies in the incorrect application of "fewer". "Fewer" is used for countable nouns, while "less" is for uncountable nouns. Since "time" is uncountable, always use "less time".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fewer amount of time" attempts to describe a duration, but it does so incorrectly. Its intended function is to indicate a reduction in the duration of something. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase is not correct in standard English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "fewer amount of time" might appear in some sources, it is considered grammatically incorrect. The primary issue lies in using "fewer" with the uncountable noun "time". The Ludwig AI confirms this assessment.

The correct alternatives are "less time", "shorter time", or "reduced time", which maintain the intended meaning while adhering to standard English grammar. It's crucial to use the correct phrasing, especially in formal or academic writing, to ensure clarity and credibility. Remember to use "less" for uncountable nouns and "fewer" for countable nouns.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

less time

Uses the correct quantifier ("less") for the uncountable noun "time", making it grammatically correct.

shorter time

Replaces "amount of time" with just "time", using the adjective "shorter" to indicate a reduced duration.

reduced time

Similar to "shorter time", but using "reduced" to describe the time duration.

lesser duration

Replaces "time" with "duration", emphasizing the length of the time period involved. Uses "lesser" correctly for uncountable nouns.

shorter duration

Similar to "lesser duration", but uses "shorter" instead, which is more common in everyday speech.

decreased time

Uses "decreased" to indicate a reduction in time, focusing on the change rather than the absolute amount.

lesser amount of time

While redundant, it is semantically similar, only replacing "fewer" with "lesser".

quicker pace

Shifts the focus to the speed at which something occurs, rather than the specific time involved.

faster rate

Similar to "quicker pace", emphasizing the rate of progress or activity.

expedited timeframe

Emphasizes the shortening of a planned period or schedule.

FAQs

Why is "fewer amount of time" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "fewer amount of time" is considered incorrect because "fewer" should be used with countable nouns while "time" is an uncountable noun. The correct phrasing is to use "less time" or "shorter time".

What is a grammatically correct alternative to "fewer amount of time"?

Instead of "fewer amount of time", you can use alternatives such as "less time", "shorter duration", or "reduced time". These options correctly use quantifiers for uncountable nouns.

How does using "less" instead of "fewer" change the meaning in the context of time?

Using "less time" instead of "fewer amount of time" ensures grammatical accuracy and maintains the intended meaning, which is a reduction in the duration needed or spent on a task or activity. "Fewer" implies counting discrete units, which is not applicable to time in general.

In what contexts is it most important to avoid the phrase "fewer amount of time"?

It is most important to avoid "fewer amount of time" in formal writing, academic papers, and professional communications where grammatical correctness is crucial. In informal contexts, it might be understood, but it's still best to use "less time" for clarity and correctness.