The word "fewer" has two primary usages: its base form (a few) and its corresponding compound form (fewest).
The base form "few" is an adjective, meaning "small" or "little." It can refer to the quantity of something, whether it's a physical object, such as a few cars or people, or a mental quantity, such as the number of customers in a store.
On the other hand, the compound form "fewest," also known as "fewest," is used to express the extreme opposite of "more." In comparison to "most," "fewest" conveys a smaller or fewer quantity, usually without specifying any particular unit of measurement. For example:
- The government says there are fewer Americans driving to work.
- One way to mitigate this problem is to schedule fewer meetings at the same time.
- We need fewer organizers and more doers.
- He was advised to smoke fewer cigarettes and drink less beer.
- There are fewer people writing with their left hand than with their right.
Now let's examine how "fewer" can be used in different contexts:
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In the sentence "Fewer herring than usual have been landed this year," the word "fewer" is used to compare the amount of herring caught in this year with what was caught in previous years. This usage of "fewer" demonstrates a comparison between two quantifiable quantities.
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The phrase "Fewer students are opting for science courses nowadays" suggests that there might be a decrease in the number of students choosing science classes. Here, "fewer" refers to a reduction in the total number of students enrolled in these courses.
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The adverb "fewer" can also modify a specific noun, forming an adverbial phrase to describe the quantity or extent of a phenomenon:
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Fewer snowflakes fall today compared to yesterday.
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The fewer kids in class are active during recess, the less free time they have to play outside.
While "fewer" alone is sufficient to indicate a difference in quantity, it is often paired with another word or phrase to convey additional information or provide context. For instance:
- The book had fewer chapters than we initially anticipated.
- The concert started later than expected due to severe weather conditions.
In summary, the word "fewer" has both an absolute and comparative form, with its base form referring to a limited quantity while the compound form represents an extreme magnitude. It can modify various nouns to indicate a difference in quantity, especially when comparing with an already established standard or reference point.