英语中含有more和less的用法非常复杂，由此构成的短语也比较丰富，但一个有趣的现象是，许多同学对more的用法见得比较多，对含有more的短语也比较熟悉，而对less的用法则相对比较生疏，至于含有less的短语，则见得更少。本文根据目前各版本的高中英语教材以及近年来的高考考点情况，对含有less的重要短语作一归纳。
1. less and less
与more and more的意思相反，表示“越来越小”“越来越少”。如：
I find I’m eating less and less meat. 我发现我肉吃得越来越少了。
As time went by we saw less and less of each other. 随着时间的流逝，我们见面越来越少了。
2. less than
与more than意思相反，主要用法有：
(1) 用于两者比较，意为“比……少(小)”。如：
I worry less than I used to. 我现在不像过去那么担心了。
The actual cost of the repairs was a lot less than we had expected. 实际的修理费用比我们预料的少得多。
(2) 指数量上“少于”“不足”。如：
The bullet missed his heart by less than an inch. 子弹射中的地方离他的心脏还不到一英寸。
Food prices increased by 10% in less than a year. 在不到一年的时间里，食品价格增长了10%。
(3)表示轻微的否定，意为“不很”“并不是太”（主要见于美国英语中）。如：
The job was less than perfect. 这工作不十分理想。
The boys were less than happy about having a party. 开晚会男孩子们并不很高兴。
3. less...than
(1) 表示“不像(如)……”。如：
It may be less useful than it appears at first. 它似乎不像初看上去那样有用。
Smell is less acute in man than in most animals. 人的嗅觉不如多数动物灵敏。
(2) 表示“比……少”“不如……多”。如：
He is said to pay less income tax than he should. 据说他所得税交得不够。
In insurance terms, an office-worker is less of a risk than a sportsman. 从保险业的角度看，办公室工作人员风险性小于运动员。
(3) 表示“与其……不如……”。如：
I regard him less as my teacher than as my friend. 与其说我把他当作老师，不如说我是把他当作朋友。
4. no less than
(1) 表示“多达”“有……之多”，用于强调数量之多。如：
No less than 1 000 people attend the meeting. 参加会议的多达1 000人。
He won no less than ￡5
(2) 表示“简直”“与……没差别”。如：
It is no less than robbery to ask for so much. 要求这么多，简直跟抢劫没两样。
Sports wears, no less than suits, are very much saleable. 运动服和西服套装一样，非常畅销。
(3) 表示“原来就是”“正是”。如：
He was no less than the mayor. 他原来就是市长。
Good heavens! It’s no less a person than the president! 天哪！原来真是总统啊！一点儿不假。
5. no less...than
主要用于强调同等性，意为“与……一样”“不比……差”。如：
She is no less wise than you. 她跟你一样聪明(他并不比你笨)。
He is no less determined than you. 他的决心不亚于你。
A dolphin is no less a clever animal than a dog is. 海豚与狗同样都是聪明的动物。
6. even [much, still] less
表示“更不用说”“更何况”。如：
He can hardly afford beer, much less champagne. 他连啤酒都喝不起，更不用说喝香槟了。
He's too shy to ask a stranger the time, still less speak to a room full of people. 他连向陌生人打听时间都不好意思，更不用说向一屋子人讲话了
注意不要将该固定短语与自由搭配的短语相混淆――作为非固定短语理解的even [much, still] less 的意思是“更少”“更不”。如：
He’s eating even less than usual. 他吃得甚至比平时还少。
He thought he knew better than I did, though he was much less experienced. 他认为他比我更懂，虽然他的经验远不如我。
7. none the less
该短语的意思是“尽管如此”“依然”“然而”。如：
It’s not cheap but I think we should buy it none the less. 这个虽然不便宜, 但我觉得我们还是应该买。
该短语也可写成nonetheless或nevertheless。如：
Though very intelligent, she is nevertheless rather modest. 她很聪明，倒也很谦虚。
The soldiers were cold, tired, and hungry; nonetheless, they continued to march. 战士们又冷、又累、又饿，然而他们仍然继续行军。
8. the less…the less…
the less…the less… 用于表示比例，其意为“越……就越不……”。如：
The less efforts you make, the less progress you achieve. 你付出的努力越少，你的进步也就越少。
但更多情况是，只出现一个the less，另一个the less用其他形式的比较级代替。如：
The less said about the whole thing, the happier I’ll be. 对整件事谈得越少我越高兴。
Sometimes it seems like the less I do, the more tired I feel. 有时我感觉好像活干得越少越觉得累。
The more fruit and vegetables you eat, the less chance you have of getting cancer. 吃的蔬菜、水果越多，得癌症的可能性就越少。
（责任编辑 陈根花）