Confusing words explained
“fewer” vs “less” — What’s the Difference?
fewer is for countable nouns; less is for uncountable nouns (fewer apples, less water)
Key takeaway
Quick Difference: fewer vs less
fewer is for countable nouns; less is for uncountable nouns (fewer apples, less water)
fewer vs less Side-by-Side Comparison
Meaning of fewer
A smaller number of countable things or people.
Used to describe a smaller amount of things you can count, like people, books, or coins.
Always use fewer with countable nouns. Say 'fewer students', never 'less students'.
- There are fewer students in class today than yesterday.
- She has fewer apples in her basket than I do.
Meaning of less
A smaller amount or quantity; not as much.
A smaller amount of something; fewer or not as much.
Use 'less' for uncountable nouns (less water, less time). Use 'fewer' for countable nouns (fewer people, fewer days).
- This coffee has less sugar than the other one.
- I sleep less during the summer because it's warm.
How to Remember the Difference
Fewer = countable things (apples, people). Less = uncountable (water, sugar, time).
Common Mistakes with fewer and less
Mistake with fewer
Wrong: There is less students in the class.
Correct: There are fewer students in the class.
students is countable, so use fewer not less; also, 'students' is plural so use 'are' not 'is'
Mistake with fewer
Wrong: I want fewer sugar in my coffee.
Correct: I want less sugar in my coffee.
sugar is uncountable, so use less not fewer
Mistake with less
Wrong: She has less apples than he has.
Correct: She has fewer apples than he has.
'Apples' is countable plural; use 'fewer' for countables, not 'less'.
Mistake with less
Wrong: Less people came to the party this year.
Correct: Fewer people came to the party this year.
'People' is countable; use 'fewer', not 'less'.
Practice Quiz: fewer or less?
Choose the word that best completes each real example sentence.
Question 1
There are _____ students in class today than yesterday.
Question 2
She has _____ apples in her basket than I do.
Question 3
_____ people attended the meeting this month.
Pick at least one answer, then press Check answers to see how you did.
You scored 0 out of 3
Frequently Asked Questions About fewer vs less
What’s the difference between “fewer” and “less”?
fewer is for countable nouns; less is for uncountable nouns (fewer apples, less water)
When should I use “fewer”?
Always use fewer with countable nouns. Say 'fewer students', never 'less students'.
When should I use “less”?
Use 'less' for uncountable nouns (less water, less time). Use 'fewer' for countable nouns (fewer people, fewer days).
How can I remember fewer vs less?
Fewer = countable things (apples, people). Less = uncountable (water, sugar, time).
Is it “fewer” or “less” in example sentences?
Use the quiz above to test the pair with real example sentences from the available word data.