fewer delay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fewer delay" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "less delay" since "delay" is an uncountable noun. Example: "We need to ensure there is less delay in the delivery process to improve customer satisfaction."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Thus, when the handover is eventually performed, there will be fewer delay causing procedures executed.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Infinite impulse response (IIR) filters require fewer delay elements, adders, and multipliers for a given frequency response.

Analog and Digital Filter Design

Activation of brain areas such as the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the thalamus, the striatum or the sensory cortices has been reported by fewer delay conditioning studies, underlining the considerable variability in neuroimaging findings.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The report said a congestion pricing system could save airlines and passengers a total of $256.8 million a year at Kennedy through lower landing fees, fewer delay-related costs and time saved.

The New York Times

That should mean fewer delays, right?

The New York Times

Because the fewer delays, the more you see your parents.

The Guardian

Logic suggests passengers could hope for fewer delays.

The New York Times

Fourteen of the 18 airlines analysed had fewer delays.

The Economist

That translates into more than 4,000 fewer delays of trains, he said.

The New York Times

Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta has predicted that travelers will experience fewer delays this summer.

The New York Times

The elections on Monday involved less violence and fewer delays than in years past.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "less delay" instead of "fewer delay" as "delay" is generally treated as an uncountable noun. For instance, instead of saying there are “fewer delay”, use “less delay” to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Common error

Avoid using "fewer" with nouns that can't be counted individually, such as "delay". "Fewer" is for countable nouns, while "less" is for uncountable ones. Sticking to this rule improves clarity and grammatical correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fewer delay" functions as a quantifier attempting to modify the noun "delay". However, the phrase is grammatically questionable because "delay" is generally considered an uncountable noun. Ludwig AI marks this as grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Science

44%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "fewer delay" appears in several sources, including reputable news outlets and scientific publications, it's considered grammatically incorrect according to standard English rules. Ludwig AI identifies this issue directly. "Delay" is typically treated as an uncountable noun, so "less delay" is the appropriate alternative. Although some sources use the phrase, it is advisable to use grammatically correct alternatives like "reduced delay" or "minimal delay" to ensure clarity and accuracy in writing. Despite the phrase's presence in certain contexts, adherence to grammatical correctness is paramount for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

less delay

Uses "less" instead of "fewer" to correctly quantify the uncountable noun "delay".

reduced delay

Replaces "fewer" with "reduced", focusing on the action of diminishing the delay.

minimal delay

Emphasizes that the delay is kept to a minimum.

decreased delay

Highlights the decrease in the amount of delay.

shorter delays

Focuses on the duration of the delays being reduced.

fewer instances of delay

Rephrases to quantify the occurrences of delay, making "fewer" grammatically correct.

a reduction in delay

Nominalizes the phrase, focusing on the fact that there is a reduction.

less time wasted

Shifts the focus to the time wasted due to delays.

quicker turnaround

Highlights a faster process, implying fewer delays.

improved efficiency

Focuses on the outcome of reducing delays.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "fewer delay"?

No, it is not grammatically correct. Since "delay" is typically treated as an uncountable noun, the correct phrase is "less delay".

What is the difference between "fewer delay" and "less delay"?

"Fewer" is used with countable nouns, while "less" is used with uncountable nouns. Since "delay" is uncountable, "less delay" is the grammatically correct choice. "Fewer delay" is generally considered incorrect.

Can I use "fewer" with the word "delays"?

Yes, because "delays" (plural) is countable. You can correctly say "fewer delays", meaning a smaller number of instances of delays. However, "less delay" refers to a smaller amount of delay in general.

What are some alternatives to "fewer delay"?

You can use phrases such as "reduced delay", "minimal delay", or "decreased delay" to convey the same meaning while maintaining grammatical correctness.