Less of a + noun
I would like to understand the meaning of the expression: less of a + noun.
Here a some example sentences:
1. Getting there is less of a problem if you have a car.
2. It is less of a problem than I'd expected.
What's the meaning of that expression?
How can I say/express the same without using less of a ?
meaning
asked 2 days ago
Jorge El SoñadorJorge El Soñador
253
add a comment |
I would like to understand the meaning of the expression: less of a + noun.
Here a some example sentences:
1. Getting there is less of a problem if you have a car.
2. It is less of a problem than I'd expected.
What's the meaning of that expression?
How can I say/express the same without using less of a ?
meaning
asked 2 days ago
Jorge El SoñadorJorge El Soñador
253
Less of: to a smaller extent or degree: we see less of John these days - less of a success than I'd hoped collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/less-of
– user240918
2 days ago
What is it you don't understand about it?
– Colin Fine
2 days ago
if I rewrite those sentences as follows, do they mean the same? 1. Getting there is NOT REALLY a problem if you have a car. 2. It is NOT REALLY a problem than I'd expected.
– Jorge El Soñador
2 days ago
add a comment |
I would like to understand the meaning of the expression: less of a + noun.
Here a some example sentences:
1. Getting there is less of a problem if you have a car.
2. It is less of a problem than I'd expected.
What's the meaning of that expression?
How can I say/express the same without using less of a ?
meaning
asked 2 days ago
Jorge El SoñadorJorge El Soñador
253
I would like to understand the meaning of the expression: less of a + noun.
Here a some example sentences:
1. Getting there is less of a problem if you have a car.
2. It is less of a problem than I'd expected.
What's the meaning of that expression?
How can I say/express the same without using less of a ?
meaning
meaning
asked 2 days ago
Jorge El SoñadorJorge El Soñador
253
asked 2 days ago
Jorge El SoñadorJorge El Soñador
253
asked 2 days ago
Jorge El SoñadorJorge El Soñador
253
asked 2 days ago
Jorge El SoñadorJorge El Soñador
253
asked 2 days ago
Jorge El SoñadorJorge El Soñador
253
253
Less of: to a smaller extent or degree: we see less of John these days - less of a success than I'd hoped collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/less-of
– user240918
2 days ago
What is it you don't understand about it?
– Colin Fine
2 days ago
if I rewrite those sentences as follows, do they mean the same? 1. Getting there is NOT REALLY a problem if you have a car. 2. It is NOT REALLY a problem than I'd expected.
– Jorge El Soñador
2 days ago
add a comment |
Less of: to a smaller extent or degree: we see less of John these days - less of a success than I'd hoped collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/less-of
– user240918
2 days ago
What is it you don't understand about it?
– Colin Fine
2 days ago
if I rewrite those sentences as follows, do they mean the same? 1. Getting there is NOT REALLY a problem if you have a car. 2. It is NOT REALLY a problem than I'd expected.
– Jorge El Soñador
2 days ago
Less of: to a smaller extent or degree: we see less of John these days - less of a success than I'd hoped collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/less-of
– user240918
2 days ago
Less of: to a smaller extent or degree: we see less of John these days - less of a success than I'd hoped collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/less-of
– user240918
2 days ago
What is it you don't understand about it?
– Colin Fine
2 days ago
What is it you don't understand about it?
– Colin Fine
2 days ago
if I rewrite those sentences as follows, do they mean the same? 1. Getting there is NOT REALLY a problem if you have a car. 2. It is NOT REALLY a problem than I'd expected.
– Jorge El Soñador
2 days ago
if I rewrite those sentences as follows, do they mean the same? 1. Getting there is NOT REALLY a problem if you have a car. 2. It is NOT REALLY a problem than I'd expected.
– Jorge El Soñador
2 days ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
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oldest
votes
How can I say/express the same without using less of a?
In your specific sentences, you are talking about less of a problem.
A single-word replacement for less of a problem is easier:
Getting there is easier if you have a car.
It is easier than I'd expected.
But note that there can be a slight difference in meaning that could make any replacement of problem inappropriate.
Some people could consider not having a car to be an actual problem. Others could simply be using the word problem in the sentence as an indication of degree of effort.
If all you're trying to express is that having a car requires less effort than not having a car, then there is no reason to keep problem in the sentence. (And the single-word replacement of easier is fine.)
But if you want to maintain the fact that getting there is a problem regardless of how you do it (getting to the moon will always present a problem, whether you have a car or not), then removing the word problem may not be what you want.
If you keep problem, but are still comparing lesser problems with greater problems, then either less of a problem or lesser problem (if the sentence is additionally reworded) would remain appropriate.
On the other hand, if you really want to express that not having a car results in a problem in a way that having a car does not, then it's no longer a matter of degree but of the simple assignment of a category. In that case, you could say:
Getting there is not a problem if you have a car.
If you are following less of a with something other than problem, there would likely be different variations. But the use of less of a in general is used to compare the degree of one thing with another thing: X is less of a burden than Y; X is less of a celebration than Y.
answered yesterday
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
16.6k31942
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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How can I say/express the same without using less of a?
In your specific sentences, you are talking about less of a problem.
A single-word replacement for less of a problem is easier:
Getting there is easier if you have a car.
It is easier than I'd expected.
But note that there can be a slight difference in meaning that could make any replacement of problem inappropriate.
Some people could consider not having a car to be an actual problem. Others could simply be using the word problem in the sentence as an indication of degree of effort.
If all you're trying to express is that having a car requires less effort than not having a car, then there is no reason to keep problem in the sentence. (And the single-word replacement of easier is fine.)
But if you want to maintain the fact that getting there is a problem regardless of how you do it (getting to the moon will always present a problem, whether you have a car or not), then removing the word problem may not be what you want.
If you keep problem, but are still comparing lesser problems with greater problems, then either less of a problem or lesser problem (if the sentence is additionally reworded) would remain appropriate.
On the other hand, if you really want to express that not having a car results in a problem in a way that having a car does not, then it's no longer a matter of degree but of the simple assignment of a category. In that case, you could say:
Getting there is not a problem if you have a car.
If you are following less of a with something other than problem, there would likely be different variations. But the use of less of a in general is used to compare the degree of one thing with another thing: X is less of a burden than Y; X is less of a celebration than Y.
answered yesterday
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
16.6k31942
add a comment |
How can I say/express the same without using less of a?
In your specific sentences, you are talking about less of a problem.
A single-word replacement for less of a problem is easier:
Getting there is easier if you have a car.
It is easier than I'd expected.
But note that there can be a slight difference in meaning that could make any replacement of problem inappropriate.
Some people could consider not having a car to be an actual problem. Others could simply be using the word problem in the sentence as an indication of degree of effort.
If all you're trying to express is that having a car requires less effort than not having a car, then there is no reason to keep problem in the sentence. (And the single-word replacement of easier is fine.)
But if you want to maintain the fact that getting there is a problem regardless of how you do it (getting to the moon will always present a problem, whether you have a car or not), then removing the word problem may not be what you want.
If you keep problem, but are still comparing lesser problems with greater problems, then either less of a problem or lesser problem (if the sentence is additionally reworded) would remain appropriate.
On the other hand, if you really want to express that not having a car results in a problem in a way that having a car does not, then it's no longer a matter of degree but of the simple assignment of a category. In that case, you could say:
Getting there is not a problem if you have a car.
If you are following less of a with something other than problem, there would likely be different variations. But the use of less of a in general is used to compare the degree of one thing with another thing: X is less of a burden than Y; X is less of a celebration than Y.
answered yesterday
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
16.6k31942
add a comment |
How can I say/express the same without using less of a?
In your specific sentences, you are talking about less of a problem.
A single-word replacement for less of a problem is easier:
Getting there is easier if you have a car.
It is easier than I'd expected.
But note that there can be a slight difference in meaning that could make any replacement of problem inappropriate.
Some people could consider not having a car to be an actual problem. Others could simply be using the word problem in the sentence as an indication of degree of effort.
If all you're trying to express is that having a car requires less effort than not having a car, then there is no reason to keep problem in the sentence. (And the single-word replacement of easier is fine.)
But if you want to maintain the fact that getting there is a problem regardless of how you do it (getting to the moon will always present a problem, whether you have a car or not), then removing the word problem may not be what you want.
If you keep problem, but are still comparing lesser problems with greater problems, then either less of a problem or lesser problem (if the sentence is additionally reworded) would remain appropriate.
On the other hand, if you really want to express that not having a car results in a problem in a way that having a car does not, then it's no longer a matter of degree but of the simple assignment of a category. In that case, you could say:
Getting there is not a problem if you have a car.
If you are following less of a with something other than problem, there would likely be different variations. But the use of less of a in general is used to compare the degree of one thing with another thing: X is less of a burden than Y; X is less of a celebration than Y.
answered yesterday
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
16.6k31942
How can I say/express the same without using less of a?
In your specific sentences, you are talking about less of a problem.
A single-word replacement for less of a problem is easier:
Getting there is easier if you have a car.
It is easier than I'd expected.
But note that there can be a slight difference in meaning that could make any replacement of problem inappropriate.
Some people could consider not having a car to be an actual problem. Others could simply be using the word problem in the sentence as an indication of degree of effort.
If all you're trying to express is that having a car requires less effort than not having a car, then there is no reason to keep problem in the sentence. (And the single-word replacement of easier is fine.)
But if you want to maintain the fact that getting there is a problem regardless of how you do it (getting to the moon will always present a problem, whether you have a car or not), then removing the word problem may not be what you want.
If you keep problem, but are still comparing lesser problems with greater problems, then either less of a problem or lesser problem (if the sentence is additionally reworded) would remain appropriate.
On the other hand, if you really want to express that not having a car results in a problem in a way that having a car does not, then it's no longer a matter of degree but of the simple assignment of a category. In that case, you could say:
Getting there is not a problem if you have a car.
If you are following less of a with something other than problem, there would likely be different variations. But the use of less of a in general is used to compare the degree of one thing with another thing: X is less of a burden than Y; X is less of a celebration than Y.
answered yesterday
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
16.6k31942
answered yesterday
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
16.6k31942
answered yesterday
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
16.6k31942
answered yesterday
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
16.6k31942
16.6k31942
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Less of: to a smaller extent or degree: we see less of John these days - less of a success than I'd hoped collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/less-of
– user240918
2 days ago
What is it you don't understand about it?
– Colin Fine
2 days ago
if I rewrite those sentences as follows, do they mean the same? 1. Getting there is NOT REALLY a problem if you have a car. 2. It is NOT REALLY a problem than I'd expected.
– Jorge El Soñador
2 days ago