fewer vs. less
Commonly confused · Daily EnglishDaily EnglishB2
Use “fewer” for things you can count; use “less” for things you can’t.
1What it means
Use fewer with plural countable nouns: fewer people, fewer mistakes, fewer cars.
Use less with uncountable nouns: less time, less money, less water. Exceptions: time, money, and distance are treated as uncountable even with numbers — less than 10 minutes.
💡 If you can put a number directly in front and make it plural, use “fewer”.
2Examples
- This year we made fewer mistakes.
- I have less free time than before.
- The express queue is for fewer than ten items.
3Quick check Tap the best answer.
1. Choose the correct word: “There are ___ students in class today.”
2. Choose the correct word: “We have ___ information than we need.”
Global Tutor Board · globaltutorboard.comCommonly confused · fewer vs. less
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