Fewer vs. Less: Countable Matters

The Rule

• Fewer = for things you can count (countable nouns)
• Less = for things you can’t count (uncountable nouns)

Fewer: Countable Things

Use “fewer” when you can put a number in front of it:

• “Fewer people attended.” ✓ (you can count people)
• “I have fewer books.” ✓ (you can count books)
• “There are fewer options.” ✓ (you can count options)

Less: Uncountable Things

Use “less” for quantities, amounts, or abstract concepts:

• “I have less money.” ✓ (you don’t say “three moneys”)
• “There’s less traffic today.” ✓ (traffic is a mass noun)
• “She has less patience.” ✓ (patience can’t be counted)

The Grocery Store Problem

You’ve probably seen: “10 items or less”

Technically, it should be: “10 items or fewer”

Why? Because you can count items! But “10 items or less” has become so common that many style guides now accept it as an exception.

The Easy Test

Can you make it plural and count it?

• Yes → use fewer
• No → use less

Fewer	Less
Fewer cars	Less traffic
Fewer dollars	Less money
Fewer hours	Less time
Fewer mistakes	Less confusion

Tricky Cases

Time, money, and distance often use “less” even with numbers:

• “Less than 10 miles” ✓ (distance as a single amount)
• “Less than $50” ✓ (money as a total)
• “Less than 5 minutes” ✓ (time as a duration)

Why? Because we think of these as single quantities, not individual countable units.

Remember

• Fewer = you can count them (fewer apples)
• Less = you can’t count it (less juice)