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I have no problem admitting that when I first became a proofreader, I didn’t know there was a difference between less vs. fewer. You don’t know what you don’t know! That’s why I always advocate that aspiring proofreaders spend time reading proofreading books and blogs and invest in grammar training.
So what is the difference between less and fewer? Why is there controversy regarding these two words? Is less vs. fewer just a myth?
In this blog post, I cover the rules and provide examples so you can see how to use them properly. To test your knowledge, stick around for the quiz at the end of this blog post!
Table of Contents
What Is the Rule for Using Less vs. Fewer?
In simple terms, the rule is to use less with singular uncountable nouns and use fewer with plural countable nouns.
What Is the Difference between Fewer and Less?
Fewer means “not as many.” Less means “not as much.” They are both the opposite of more.
Less and fewer are both comparative adjectives; however, they are used in different circumstances. Less is used with uncountable nouns and fewer is used with countable nouns.
Countable nouns (or count nouns) are nouns that are easy to count like people, cars, etc. They can be made plural.
Uncountable nouns (or mass nouns) are nouns that are harder to quantify individually like rice, water, space, etc. They are always singular.
Examples of Using Fewer
Fewer is best used with words that can be easily counted.
- Fewer people turned up to the book launch because the circus was in town.
- I feel like there would be fewer storms if they would stop giving them names.
- You should eat fewer bars of chocolate if you want to lose weight.
People, storms, and bars of chocolate are all countable nouns.
Examples of Using Less
Less is best used with mass nouns or words that express bulk or quantity.
- “Less chatting, more reading,” shouted the teacher.
- I have less concern about the price of apples than I do about the price of chocolate.
- We have less time for watching TV now that we have kids.
Chatting, concern, and time are all uncountable nouns.
How Do You Know If a Noun Is Uncountable?
Try to make the noun plural in your sentence. If it doesn’t make sense, then it is uncountable and you should use the singular.
Examples:
Incorrect: When we work out, David drinks fewer waters than I do.
That sounds all kinds of wrong, doesn’t it?
Correct: When we work out, David drinks less water than I do.
Also correct: When we work out, David drinks fewer bottles of water than I do.
In the second example, you can make bottle plural, and bottles are also countable, so it makes sense to use fewer in that case.
Can You Use Less Instead of Fewer?
Yes, there are some exceptions to the rule. You can use less with countable nouns that express time, money, distance, and weight.
This exception is not explicitly noted in The Chicago Manual of Style (that I could find).
However, other style guides do allude to it. For example, the AP Stylebook notes that you should use fewer for individual items and less for bulk or quantity. One example it gives that illustrates less being used with something that appears countable is “I had less than $50 in my pocket.” In this case, $50 is seen as a bulk amount.
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary notes that “less is more likely than fewer to modify plural nouns when distances, sums of money, and a few fixed phrases are involved <less than 100 miles> <an investment of less than $2000> <in 25 words or less>.”
If you perceive the quantity to be a single mass or lump sum rather than individual items, then it’s probably appropriate to use less.
More Grammar and Punctuation Posts
Different From vs. Different Than
Using Less vs. Fewer with Percentages
It can be tricky to decide whether you should use less or fewer with a percentage. It depends on if the thing that is divided into percentages is countable or not.
Examples:
You have used less than 10% of the meat I bought for you. (Meat is an uncountable noun.)
You have eaten fewer than 10% of the bananas I bought for you. (Banana is a countable noun.)
Is It Less Hours or Fewer Hours?
It’s acceptable to use less with countable nouns that express time, so you can use less with hours.
Example:
The movie was less than two hours long, so we were still able to go out for dinner afterward.
Is It 10 Items or Less or Fewer?
This is a common less vs. fewer error. People (and grocery stores) are frequently confused by whether it should be “10 items or less” vs. “10 items or fewer.”
The correct answer is “10 items or fewer.”
The items in your basket can be counted individually, so fewer is more appropriate.
Less vs. Fewer Quiz
Choose the correct word in each sentence. You can find the answers at the bottom of this blog post.
- She paid the same amount this year even though she received less/fewer advice.
- The movie is scheduled to begin in less than/fewer than two hours.
- We had less/fewer participants than last year due to the price increase.
- It’s possible to travel Asia on less than/fewer than $20 per day.
- There were less/fewer voters this year despite the huge campaign to drum up support.
Final Thoughts on Less vs. Fewer
I hope you have a better understanding of when you should use less vs. fewer now. All you need to do is figure out if the noun is countable or uncountable. Fewer is used with nouns that can be counted or made plural. Less is used with mass nouns that can’t be easily counted.
If you want to dive deeper into tricky grammar issues, check out the resources below.
Need More Grammar and Punctuation Help?
Grammar can be tricky. We’re bombarded with bad grammar on social media every single day, so it’s not surprising that we’re sometimes not sure what’s right and what’s wrong!
If you’d like to improve your grammar and punctuation skills so you can communicate better or hone your proofreading skills, Grammar Lion: A Grammar Refresher is an in-depth but easy-to-understand course.
Commas tripping you up? Take this free comma course to refresh your knowledge.
Check out my review of Grammar Lion here.
Further Reading
Related Content: 15 Essential Reference Books for New Proofreaders
Less vs. Fewer Quiz Answers
- She paid the same amount this year even though she received less advice.
- The movie is scheduled to begin in less than two hours.
- We had fewer participants than last year due to the price increase.
- It’s possible to travel Asia on less than $20 per day.
- There were fewer voters this year despite the huge campaign to drum up support.
Punctuation Posts
How to Use an Ellipsis: Chicago vs. AP Style
En Dash vs. Em Dash: When and How to Use Them
How to Use an Apostrophe (and Mistakes You Need to Avoid)
How to Use Commas (and Mistakes to Avoid)
Colon vs. Semicolon: When and How to Use Them
How to Use Quotation Marks (and the Difference between Single Quotes vs. Double Quotes)
