Understanding ‘Less’: Boost Your IELTS Score with Proper Usage
Learn how to correctly use the word ‘less’ in English, including its meaning, usage, and common mistakes to avoid. This video provides practical examples and tips to help improve your IELTS score by mastering this essential comparative term.
Imagine you’re at a store, trying to decide between two similar products. One costs ten dollars, the other eight dollars.
Which one would you choose? Most people would go for the eight-dollar option because it costs less. Today, we’re going to explore the word less and how to use it correctly in your IELTS exam.
Word type: Less is primarily used as an adjective or adverb in English.
Meaning: Less means a smaller amount or not as much as something else.
It’s used when comparing quantities or degrees.
Word history: The word less comes from Old English and has been used for over a thousand years to indicate smaller amounts or lower degrees.
Antonyms: The main opposite of less is more. Other antonyms include greater, additional, and extra.
Synonyms:
Some words with similar meanings to less include fewer, smaller, reduced, and diminished.
Examples use in sentences:
Here are some examples of how to use less in sentences: I have less free time now that I started my new job.
The new energy-efficient light bulbs use less electricity. She speaks less formally when she’s with her friends.
There is less traffic on the roads during holidays. Common errors in use: One common mistake is using less when fewer should be used.
Remember, use less for uncountable nouns and fewer for countable nouns. For example, say less water but fewer bottles of water.
Another error is using lesser when less is correct. Lesser means of lower importance or quality, not a smaller amount.
For instance, say less money, not lesser money. To improve your IELTS score, practice using less in your speaking and writing.
Try comparing things in your daily life using less. The more you use it, the more natural it will become.
Remember, using vocabulary like less correctly can help you express yourself more precisely in English and boost your IELTS band score.
