庚 泽
responsibility is countable or uncountable ? "less responsibilities " is an expression I saw in a text. As I remember, less is before an uncountable noun. why not "fewer responsibilities" here ? Thanks
Feb 9, 2012 4:06 AM
Answers · 2
4
"Fewer responsibilities" is correct. The sentence you read is wrong. If you use 'responsibility', it is considered a quality and is therefore uncountable. "This job has less responsibility." "Responsibilities", however, is considered countable, because it is assumed that you could list them individually. "This job has fewer responsibilities."
February 9, 2012
I have SIX LESS EGGS than I had before, because I made an omelet. (12 - 6 = 6) I have TWO LESS RESPONSIBILITIES than I had before, because the brother and sister went home with their mother. (8 - 2 = 6) But the intended meaning of "less" here is similar to "subtract" or "minus" as you would use in a mathematical operation. On a grammar test where they are testing your knowledge of count and noncount nouns, choose "fewer responsibilities" for the reasons FDMAXEY explained above.
February 9, 2012
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