less reactions

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less reactions" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "fewer reactions," as "reactions" is a countable noun. Example: "After implementing the new strategy, we observed fewer reactions from the audience than expected."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The dilution that resulted in positivity in two of four replicates was considered to be limiting (DNA target templates being assumed to be distributed in a Poisson manner so that 50% or less reactions do not carry template molecules and thus do not generate PCR products).

Plosone

Less reactions of the glycolytic pathway are active while more reactions of the citric acid cycle are active compared to cluster 2. The same holds true for some samples of the stress response-like cluster (cluster 3).

BMC Systems Biology

The final list was manually curated to (i) retain some specific, informative metabolites even if they were involved in more than eight reactions; and to (ii) exclude additional uninformative metabolites even if they were involved in eight or less reactions.

BMC Systems Biology

While the size of the metabolic network of S. ratti DSM 20564 is comparable to those of the S. mutans strains, the metabolic network of S. sobrinus with 833 reactions and 853 metabolites is the smallest one, which have 62 less reactions and 60 less metabolites compared to the largest one of S. mutans NCTC 11060 (895 reactions and 913 metabolites).

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

"You get less reaction driving a seven-figure Ferrari".

The New York Times

That and every other subject drew less reaction than did columns about airport transportation.

The New York Times

This time there has been far less reaction from either side than during the earlier court battle.

The New York Times

The first three stages are called non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) in which you fall into a progressively deeper sleep with increasingly less reaction to environmental stimuli (like your fidgety partner).

Independent

There was less reaction when Reilly added the second after the break.

BBC

The microwave irradiation afforded the product in less reaction time, higher yield and purity.

Chemistry Central Journal

The microwave irradiation afforded the product in less reaction time, higher yield and purity than conventional heating.

Chemistry Central Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing countable items like reactions, use "fewer" instead of "less" to ensure grammatical accuracy. For example, use "fewer reactions" instead of "less reactions".

Common error

Avoid using "less" when referring to countable nouns. "Less" is for uncountable nouns, while "fewer" is for countable nouns. For example, it's correct to say "less water" but incorrect to say "less reactions". Always use "fewer reactions" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less reactions" functions as a quantifier, attempting to describe the quantity of "reactions". However, it exhibits grammatical incorrectness because "reactions" is a countable noun, requiring the use of "fewer" instead of "less", as pointed out by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

53%

News & Media

42%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less reactions" is often used to describe a reduction in the number or frequency of reactions. However, according to Ludwig AI, it's grammatically incorrect because "reactions" is a countable noun, and "fewer" should be used instead of "less". The contexts in which the phrase appears are primarily in Science and News & Media. To ensure grammatical accuracy, especially in formal writing, it's best to use "fewer reactions" or alternatives like "reduced number of reactions" or "decreased reaction count".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fewer reactions

This alternative uses "fewer" instead of "less" to correctly refer to countable items, which are reactions.

reduced number of reactions

This phrase emphasizes a numerical reduction in reactions, providing a more descriptive alternative.

decreased reaction count

This option is more concise and focuses on the count of reactions, suitable for technical contexts.

diminished response rate

This phrase replaces "reactions" with "response rate", changing the term but maintaining a similar concept.

lower level of response

This alternative shifts the focus to the level or intensity of the response, rather than the number of reactions.

mitigated responses

This suggests that reactions were lessened or softened in some way, rather than simply being fewer.

attenuated reactions

This term suggests reactions were weakened or reduced in intensity, often used in scientific or technical contexts.

less intense reactions

This changes the focus from the quantity of reactions to their intensity.

subdued responses

This implies reactions were calmer or more controlled, rather than simply fewer.

minimal responses

Suggests the reactions were very slight or almost non-existent.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "less reactions"?

The grammatically correct way to phrase "less reactions" is to use "fewer reactions". "Fewer" is used with countable nouns, while "less" is used with uncountable nouns.

Can I use "less" instead of "fewer"?

While "less" is sometimes used informally in place of "fewer", it's generally considered incorrect in formal writing when referring to countable items. Therefore, it's best to use "fewer reactions" in formal contexts.

What are some alternatives to "less reactions"?

Alternatives to "less reactions" include "reduced number of reactions", "decreased reaction count", or "diminished response rate", depending on the specific context.

Is "less intense reactions" the same as "fewer reactions"?

No, "less intense reactions" focuses on the intensity or strength of the reactions, while "fewer reactions" refers to the number or quantity of reactions. They convey different meanings.