less amount

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less amount" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct term is "smaller amount" or "lesser amount," depending on the context. Example: "We need a smaller amount of sugar for this recipe."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The more veteran guys retire, the less amount of people come to the games.

The New York Times - Sports

Yet, she noted, "We're paying that same tuition with less amount of learning".

The New York Times

The proposed circuit also requires less amount of power.

Nano Communication Networks

Very less amount of sample is required for processing.

Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences

As a result, less amount of friction is generated.

Mechanics of Advanced Materials and Modern Processes

PTLS consumes less amount of bandwidth than GLS.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Also, it produced very less amount of inhibitors.

Bioresources and Bioprocessing

Our proposed techniques managed to get lower power consumption, less amount of SLA violation and less amount of performance degradation over the existing PABFD VM placement algorithm.

Journal of Cloud Computing

High syngas selectivity was attained by using a less amount of diluent in the catalyst bed.

Applied Catalysis A: General

Catalytic pyrolysis of lignin increased the production of phenolics, especially, with less amount of carbonyl group.

Catalysis Today

Initially, the larger-sized granules adsorbed less amount of cadmium and thus were not studied further.

Applied Water Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Favor grammatically correct alternatives such as "smaller amount" or "lesser quantity" in formal writing to maintain clarity and precision.

Common error

Avoid using "less" with countable nouns. While "less amount" is often used, it's grammatically preferable to use "fewer" when referring to countable items, such as "fewer ingredients" instead of "less ingredients".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less amount" functions as a determiner followed by a noun. Although frequently used, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect, suggesting alternatives like "smaller amount" or "lesser amount".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

76%

News & Media

19%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "less amount" is frequently used across various contexts, including science and news, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests using alternatives like "smaller amount" or "lesser quantity" to maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity. When referring to countable nouns, using "fewer" is preferable. Although widely encountered, adopting grammatically correct alternatives enhances the precision and formality of writing, particularly in academic and professional settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

smaller quantity

Replaces "amount" with "quantity", emphasizing a countable or measurable aspect. Slightly more formal.

reduced quantity

Uses "reduced" to highlight the decrease in quantity, implying a previous higher level.

lesser quantity

Substitutes "amount" with "quantity" and uses "lesser," which is a more formal equivalent of "less."

smaller volume

Replaces "amount" with "volume", suitable when referring to liquids or three-dimensional space.

lower quantity

Emphasizes that the quantity is at a decreased level, appropriate for comparisons.

smaller portion

Replaces "amount" with "portion", appropriate when speaking of a part of a whole.

reduced proportion

Implies a decrease in the relative size or extent of something.

diminished quantity

Uses "diminished" to highlight a reduction, implying a significant decrease.

decreased quantity

Similar to "reduced quantity" but emphasizes the action of decreasing.

slighter quantity

Highlights the difference in a subtle way, emphasizing a marginal change.

FAQs

Is it correct to use "less amount" in a sentence?

While commonly used, "less amount" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's better to use "smaller amount" or "lesser amount" depending on the context.

What are some alternatives to saying "less amount"?

You can use phrases like "smaller quantity", "reduced quantity", or "lesser quantity" instead of "less amount".

Which is correct: "less amount" or "fewer amount"?

"Less amount" is generally considered incorrect, and "fewer amount" doesn't make sense either. Use "smaller amount" or use "fewer" with countable nouns (e.g., fewer items).

How can I improve my writing by avoiding phrases like "less amount"?

Focus on using grammatically correct alternatives such as "smaller amount" for non-countable nouns and "fewer" for countable nouns. Also, consider using specific quantities or measurements for greater precision.