(or One More Reason I Shop at Trader Joe’s)
Because, after years of seeing grocery store
signs say, “15 items or less,” these guys
get the usage right—not once,
but twice, at the same checkout stand.
And while they could be accused
of redundancy, it makes my old
grammar teacher’s heart melt like
chocolate peanut butter cups left
in the car too long
to know that someone cares
so much about accuracy that, before
I get in that line, I count the items
in my little red basket to make sure
I meet the criterion. Then I study those
artistic signs, beaming with pride
at the smarts of some other English
teacher’s star pupil who got it
so right.
•••
Quick usage tip: If you can count individual items, use “fewer”
(cookies, centipedes, peanut butter cups). If you can’t count
the items, but you can measure or quantify them, use “less”
(time, money, milk).
Güd wrtr 
And wouldn’t the same clever usage rule apply, respectively, to greater and more?
It would, wouldn’t it? Thanks, Terry!
Oh, Jan, you just made my day! There are fewer and fewer of us who know this rule.
There’s something about grammar that compels its expert practitioners to protect the rest of us from badly chosen words. I used to be that person before I lost my skills
Ha! Nicely said, Susie!
what is your feeling about “the amount of people “ as opposed to “the number of people “? Drives me razy and I wasn’t even an English teacher!
Yep, that’s another good one! Same thing: “number” if you can count them, “amount” if the quantities are uncountable. Good ear, Dr. Goemann!