Fewer vs Less
Fewer goes with countable nouns (fewer people, fewer mistakes). Less goes with uncountable nouns (less water, less time).
The one-line answer
Fewer goes with countable nouns (fewer people, fewer mistakes). Less goes with uncountable nouns (less water, less time).
fewer
determinera smaller number of countable things
- There were fewer students in class today.
- Fewer cars on the road means cleaner air.
- I made fewer mistakes this time.
less
determinera smaller amount of something uncountable
- This recipe uses less sugar.
- I have less free time these days.
- The new model costs less than the old one.
Memory trick
If you can count it, choose fewer (fewer apples). If you measure it, choose less (less juice). Signs saying '10 items or less' are famous — but grammatically it should be 'fewer'.
Fewer vs Less: Test yourself
Question 1 of 2There is ___ traffic on Sundays.