less 1

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less 1" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in mathematical or technical contexts to indicate a subtraction operation, but it is not commonly used in everyday language. Example: "The total number of items is 10, less 1, which equals 9."

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

Again, their logic was more or less 1. Deficits 2. ????? 3. Zimbabwe!

The New York Times

endodermal-amyloplast less 1 (eal1) is a unique mutant that completely lacks gravitropism in inflorescence stems and exhibits reduced gravitropism in hypocotyls, whereas its roots showed normal gravitropism.

Advances in Space Research

That's quite hard to believe, especially when Winton, AHL's main rival in the computer-driven trend-following game, charges less (1% versus as much as 3%) and has performed better in recent years.

The Guardian - Business

Thus, modulo, they are substantially less 1.

Nanoscale Research Letters

AB reactor cannot have coefficient Q significantly less 1.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

So I'll tell you, in fifty words or less. 1) Products that are wholly new and largely unseen.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

Treatment for metastatic breast cancer is palliative, and median life expectancy after recurrence is between 24 and 30 months or less [ 1, 2].

BMC Cancer

The Queen Mary University of London bursary is worth £1,571 per year for students whose household income is £25,000 or less, £1,256 per year for students whose household income is between £25,000 and £42,600.

The Guardian

The Queen Mary University of London Bursary is worth £1,700 per year for students whose household income is £20,000 or less, £1,000 per year for students whose household income is between £20,000 and £35,000.

The Guardian

The better performance achieved in the second season of testing may be attributed to less 1,1-DCE transformation product toxicity, more effective addition of butane, and bioaugmentation with the highly enriched dual culture.

Journal of Contaminant Hydrology

The influence of the short chain branch length was also investigated and it was observed that, compared to 1-hexene, much less 1-octene was necessary to disrupt the crystalline structure and impart rubbery behavior to the copolymers.

Polymer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "less 1" in technical or mathematical writing, ensure the context clearly indicates that it refers to a subtraction operation. Otherwise, consider using clearer alternatives such as "minus 1" or "subtract 1".

Common error

Avoid using "less 1" in general writing where the intended meaning might be unclear. Readers may not immediately recognize it as a subtraction instruction, leading to confusion. Instead, opt for more explicit phrasing that specifies the reduction or comparison being made.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less 1" primarily functions as a modifier indicating a subtraction or reduction. It appears in contexts where a numerical decrease is being described, as seen in Ludwig's examples related to percentages, measurements, or quantities. It indicates that a value is being diminished by one unit.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

35%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less 1" is used to indicate a subtraction or reduction, primarily in scientific, technical, and journalistic contexts. While not grammatically incorrect, it's not a standard phrase in English and can be ambiguous in general writing. As noted by Ludwig AI, clearer alternatives like "minus 1" or "subtract 1" are often preferred to ensure clarity, especially in non-technical contexts. The phrase appears commonly in contexts related to scientific research and news reporting, where precise quantification is important. While acceptable, writers should consider the audience and context when using "less 1", opting for clearer phrasing when necessary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minus 1

Replaces "less" with "minus", indicating subtraction.

subtract 1

Uses the verb "subtract" for a more direct mathematical meaning.

1 less than

Rearranges the phrase to emphasize the result of subtraction.

decreased by 1

Emphasizes the action of reducing a quantity.

reduced by 1

Similar to 'decreased by 1', but uses a different verb.

one fewer

Highlights the reduced quantity in a comparative sense.

slightly lower

Implies a small reduction without specifying the exact amount.

marginally less

Indicates a minimal difference in quantity.

a bit under

Informal way of saying something is slightly less than a value.

somewhat below

Expresses that a value is moderately lower than another.

FAQs

What does "less 1" mean in a mathematical context?

In mathematical or technical contexts, "less 1" typically means to subtract 1 from a given value. However, it is often clearer to use phrases like "minus 1" or "subtract 1" to avoid ambiguity.

Is "less 1" grammatically correct?

While not strictly incorrect, "less 1" is not a standard or common grammatical construction in English. It's better to use clearer alternatives like "minus 1" or "subtract 1" for better clarity.

When is it appropriate to use "less 1"?

The phrase "less 1" might be appropriate in specific technical or mathematical contexts where it's immediately clear that a subtraction is intended. However, for general writing, alternatives like "decreased by 1" or "reduced by 1" are preferable.

What can I say instead of "less 1" in everyday language?

In everyday language, you can use phrases such as "one fewer", "slightly lower", or "a bit under" depending on the specific context to indicate that something is slightly smaller or reduced.