If ‘fewer’ people cared about ‘less’ grammar, we’d have more clarity and fewer migraines.
The Traditional Rule:
Articles (a, an, the) and determiners (this, that, these, those, each, every, many, few, etc.) must match number and countability. “Fewer” for things you can count, “less” for things you can’t. “A” before consonant sounds, “an” before vowels. Singular nouns must use “a” or “an.” Determiners must follow strict hierarchical stacking.
Why It’s Broken:
Because English speakers don’t follow any of that in real life — and we don’t need to. The difference between “fewer” and “less” is unimportant in almost every conversation. “A” and “an” break down the moment a word starts with a silent consonant or a “yoo” sound (“a university” vs. “an hour”). Determiner stacking? Not even English teachers understand it. Try explaining why “all my three favorite very old jackets” sounds okay but “my all favorite three jackets very” doesn’t.
Absurdities and Contradictions:
“Five items or less” = Wrong? It’s everywhere. It’s natural. It’s real English.
“Less than 10 people” = Incorrect, they say. But “less than 10 dollars” is fine?
“A historian” or “An historian”? Depends on your accent.
“Many a time” is correct. “Many times a time” is wrong.
“Fewer hairs” is technically right. But “less hair” is more normal.
“This data is” or “These data are”? Even scientists can’t agree.
Real-World Examples:
“There are less people here today.” ✅
“An unicorn” vs “A unicorn” (It’s a unicorn, but why? Because of the sound, not the letter.) ✅
“My three very good friends.” ✅ But “Very my friends good three”? 🔥 Absolute nonsense.
British vs. American Variants:
Brits obsess more over “fewer.” Americans break this rule constantly.
Brits say “an hotel” in some dialects. Americans almost always say “a hotel.”
“The team are winning” (UK) vs. “The team is winning” (US)
The Reform Proposal:
Let “less” and “fewer” be interchangeable. Prioritize clarity, not countability.
Use “a” or “an” based on pronunciation, not spelling.
Scrap complex determiner stacking hierarchies. Just use what sounds natural.
Allow group nouns (like “team,” “family,” “government”) to be plural or singular depending on intent, not grammar books.
How It Would Work in Practice:
“Less cars were on the road.” → ✅
“A hour-long special.” → ✅
“These three very beautiful jackets.” → ✅
“The government have failed us.” → ✅ if meant as individuals, not as one unit.
Final Word: Let Common Use Win. Language lives in the mouth, not the manual. If no one is confused, no one is wrong. Let’s reform the fiction that articles and determiners are sacred relics of clarity. They’re just sounds that help rhythm and meaning — not rules from on high.