Difference Between Less and Fewer

Learn when to use less versus fewer with a simple rule and common examples.

1 min read

Quick Answer

Fewer is for countable things (fewer apples, fewer people). Less is for uncountable things (less water, less time). If you can count it as individual items, use fewer. If it is measured as a continuous quantity, use less. The '10 items or less' sign is technically incorrect.

Key Takeaways

Countable nouns are things you can count as individual units: apples, cars, people, dollars, problems.
Money is tricky: 'less money' (uncountable) but 'fewer dollars' (countable currency units).
Time and distance are typically 'less' even with numbers: 'less than 10 minutes,' 'less than 5 miles.

Explanation

Countable nouns are things you can count as individual units: apples, cars, people, dollars, problems. Use fewer with these: fewer cars on the road, fewer problems to solve, fewer than 50 people.

Uncountable nouns are measured rather than counted: water, time, money (as a concept), effort, traffic. Use less with these: less water, less time, less effort, less traffic.

An easy test: if you can ask 'how many?' use fewer (how many apples? - fewer apples). If you ask 'how much?' use less (how much water? - less water). This rule works in most situations.

Things to Know

Money is tricky: 'less money' (uncountable) but 'fewer dollars' (countable currency units).
Time and distance are typically 'less' even with numbers: 'less than 10 minutes,' 'less than 5 miles.'
Casual speech often uses 'less' for everything; strict grammar prefers the distinction.