Grammar fix
to a lesser extent
less so / qualifying
Used to show that something is true, but not as much as something else just mentioned; it qualifies or reduces the strength of a previous statement.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- Most people rely on their phones for communication, and to a lesser extent, for entertainment.daily life
- I believe education shapes a person's future, mainly through academic learning and, to a lesser extent, through extracurricular activities. While both are important, the academic side usually has a bigger impact on career opportunities.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: [main idea], and to a lesser extent, [secondary idea]
Wrongto a less extent
Rightto a lesser extent
Use the comparative 'lesser', not 'less', in this fixed phrase.
Pattern[main idea], and to a lesser extent, [secondary idea]
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'To a lesser extent' is the standard qualifier; the long version is clumsy.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
to a lesser extentandalsothoughbut
Don't confuse it
Compare with 'to some extent', which means 'partly' but does not imply comparison; 'to a lesser extent' always compares two things, showing one is less significant.