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.
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.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: to a less extent
Say: to a lesser extent
Use the comparative 'lesser', not 'less', in this fixed phrase.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'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 extent
- and
- also
- though
- but