1. Diction: Amount and number, Fewer and Less, Between and Among
Writing Lab
Diction: Amount and number, Fewer and Less, Between and Among

2. Amount and Number Use “amount” with singular (mass) nouns.
Use “number” with plural (countable) nouns.
Example
A large amount of work
A number of classes

3. Fewer and Less
“Less” should be used with mass nouns or general amounts.
“Fewer,” like “number,” should be used with plural (countable) nouns.
Examples
Less tar per cigarette
Fewer cigarettes per pack

4. Fewer and Less examples:
Fewer items
Fewer crimes
Fewer people
Fewer arguments
Fewer bills
Fewer calories
Less time
Less punishment
Less progress
Less paper
Less money
Less fat

5. Between and Among
In general, “between” is used for relationships involving only two people or things or for comparing one thing to a group to which it belongs.
“Among” is used for relationships involving more than two people or things.
Examples
Don and Thomas had only three dollars between them.
An agreement was made among the club members.

6. Between and Among examples:
There will be a fifteen-minute intermission “between” Acts I and II.
The friendship “between” him and me has ended.
There is a silent closeness “among” the family members.

7. That’s all, folks!
This lesson is part of the UWF Writing Lab Grammar Mini-Lesson Series
Lessons adapted from Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon
To find out more, visit the Writing Lab’s website where you can take a self-scoring quiz corresponding to this lesson