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[OM] Re: [OT] The Do's and Don'ts of apostrophe placement

Subject: [OM] Re: [OT] The Do's and Don'ts of apostrophe placement
From: Chris Barker <ftog@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2006 19:01:21 +0100
Hurrah, Winsor!  It had to be said.  If asked, I advise people to use  
this test: if you can count them, it is fewer or more.  If you can't,  
it's less or more.

Chris

On 7 Sep 2006, at 15:53, Winsor Crosby wrote:

> On the off chance that I will save one person from mortal
> embarrassment, "Less" is not a substitute for "fewer", except
> apparently in all the mass media in the US which have confused 6th
> grade level usage with 6th grade usage. Less is used for amorphous
> stuff like soup in my bowl, sauce on the dessert  or rice in the
> bowl. "Fewer" is used for discrete things like cars on the freeway,
> people who like eggplant,  eggs in the omelette,  grains of rice in a
> cup of brown rice.
>
> Sorry. Sometimes I can't stand it.
>


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