'Less' or 'Fewer'? What Is the Difference? | Mastering Grammar

(Last Updated: 26 February 2024)

Less vs Fewer: Understanding the Difference

Less is correct before an uncountable noun (e.g. less information, less furniture, less water, and less evidence). 

Fewer is correct before a countable noun (e.g. fewer students, fewer items, fewer cases, and fewer books).

Typically, people misuse less in situations calling for fewer:

❌ Less people are now eligible for social care support.
✅ Fewer people are now eligible for social care support.

❌ We need less motorways and more bicycle lanes.
✅ We need fewer motorways and more bicycle lanes.

❌ As a result of poaching and habitat loss, there are now less tigers in the wild than ever before.
✅ As a result of poaching and habitat loss, there are now fewer tigers in the wild than ever before.

❌ The store experienced a decrease in sales, leading to less products being restocked on the shelves.
✅ The store experienced a decrease in sales, leading to fewer products being restocked on the shelves.

Less is used for things we cannot count, such as sugar, money, and sunshine. Fewer is used for things we can count, such as hours, children, and houses.

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Examples from the Media

This government is amassing more and more data on all of us and we have less and less information on them. —The Guardian (2021)

It seems clear we have a lower ratio of capital to labour than the Americans—that is, our workers are given less equipment and other physical capital to work with, on average—which obviously limits our workers' productivity. —The Sydney Morning Herald (2007)

Fewer shoppers means fewer transactions which may not cover all the costs of running stores, especially when government support measures start to ebb away. —BBC (2020)

Researchers have discovered a possible link between the coronavirus pandemic and fewer instances of lightning reported during worldwide shutdowns in the spring of 2020. —CNN (2022)

Practice

Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.

1. The new policy aims to have less/fewer cars on the road during peak hours.

2. The school implemented a new programme that resulted in less/fewer disciplinary incidents among students.

3. Sarah decided to spend less/fewer money on unnecessary purchases and save more.

4. The new venue had a smaller capacity, resulting in less/fewer people being able to attend the party.

5. After the renovation, the room felt more spacious with less/fewer clutter.

Answer Key

1. fewer    2. fewer    3. less    4. fewer    5. less

Recommended Further Reading

'Few' or 'A Few'?
'Little' or 'A Little'?

Real-World Examples of Misuse

1. It is common to simply state that you are going to practise the piano.
2. We use fewer with countable nouns and less with uncountable nouns. Sugary foods refer to specific types of food with high sugar content, such as cakes, biscuits, and sweets. If you say less sugary food, you are implying that you are going to reduce the sugar content across your diet generally—e.g. eating less jam on your toast.
3. A Scout is a member of the Scouts (an organisation).
(Image Source: English Smart Class Weekly Language Practices (4B))