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The Charge:
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The word "less" should be replaced
with "fewer". Less
is used for a single item (e.g. less space); whereas, "fewer"
is used when there is more than one item (e.g. fewer bags). |
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Case for the Defence 
/ Defense  :
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This ruling is outdated. Nearly everyone
says "less" before a plural noun these days. "Less
bags" is a clearer message than "fewer bags". Asda
are seeking to reduce plastic-bag pollution and judge that this wording is
the most effective. |
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Case for Prosecution:
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Is "less bags" a clearer message than
"fewer bags"? I would assert that they are equally
understandable. The only difference between the two terms is one is a
grammar error and the other isn't. Consider the following sentences:
I have no bread.
I hasn't any bread.
It's pretty clear that I do not have any bread, but the second example is
grammatically wrong. It's the same with "fewer bags" and
"less bags". With "less bags", the message is crystal
clear, but the grammar's broken. |
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Judge Grammar Monster's Decision:
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This is an easy one to call. I judge that Asda's poster is
grammatically incorrect. Tesco correctly use "fewer" in
the graphic below with no loss of message effectiveness.
excerpt from tesco.com
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Common grammar errors
