Less vs. fewer

[mediaguy]

So twice during national title game, ESPN graphic has pointed out how many "TD drives of 2 minutes or fewer" a team has this season. That should be "less" and not "fewer," right? With time, we're not counting a number of minutes. Surprised to see that ...

 

[MileHigh]

It's TV, where during blizzards, they can't even get "canceled" spelled right.

 

[mediaguy]

That one always surprises me to see wrong -- with the verbs ending in L, if first syllable is stressed, don't double the L in past tense, if second syllable is stressed, double it. Not sure why, but always remembered that one.

 

[Hoos3725]

So twice during national title game, ESPN graphic has pointed out how many "TD drives of 2 minutes or fewer" a team has this season. That should be "less" and not "fewer," right? With time, we're not counting a number of minutes. Surprised to see that ...

Correct. While it may seem backwards, like you said, you're not counting minutes. It's an amount of time, now a number of minutes. Amount -- less; number -- fewer.

 

[Brian]

It's TV, where during blizzards, they can't even get "canceled" spelled right.

Maybe the stations are run by Brits.

 

[MonsterLobster]

It's TV, where during blizzards, they can't even get "canceled" spelled right.

Maybe the stations are run by Brits.

I'm sure it was a simple mistake. No need to go on the defence.

 

[Double J]

It's TV, where during blizzards, they can't even get "canceled" spelled right.

Maybe the stations are run by Brits.

I'm sure it was a simple mistake. No need to go on the defence.

 

[deskslave]

So twice during national title game, ESPN graphic has pointed out how many "TD drives of 2 minutes or fewer" a team has this season. That should be "less" and not "fewer," right? With time, we're not counting a number of minutes. Surprised to see that ...

Correct. While it may seem backwards, like you said, you're not counting minutes. It's an amount of time, now a number of minutes. Amount -- less; number -- fewer.

Indeed. If it was two minutes or fewer, it would be drives of two minutes, one minute and, I suppose, zero minutes.

A basketball player would play fewer minutes than his teammates, however.