Less vs. Fewer: A Complete Guide For Beginners
Navigating the English language can be tricky. We’ve all been there—stopping mid-sentence, wondering if it’s “less” or “fewer.” It can feel confusing, but you’re not alone! Here’s a simple guide to help clear things up and make those choices a bit easier. Let’s dive in!
What is the Difference Between Less and Fewer?
“Less” and “fewer” are both used to indicate a smaller amount of something. However, they’re used in different situations:
- Fewer: Used for things you can count individually.
- Example: There are fewer students in the classroom today.
- Less: Used for things you can’t count individually or that don’t have a plural.
- Example: I’d like less sugar in my coffee.
In short, if you can count it item by item, go with “fewer.” If not, “less” is your word! If you want some practice learning whether a noun is countable or uncountable, take a look at our guide to countable and unaccountable nouns.
Common Less Vs. Fewer Examples
Understanding the difference between “less” and “fewer” is easier when we see them in action. Here are some examples to help illustrate their correct usage:
Example Sentences With Fewer
1. There are fewer cars on the road today.
2. I bought fewer books this month than last month.
3. She made fewer mistakes in her test this time.
4. We need fewer chairs for the meeting.
5. I hope to eat fewer chocolates this year.
6. The team scored fewer goals this season.
7. There are fewer birds in the sky than yesterday.
8. He has fewer friends in this city.
9. We received fewer complaints this week.
10. I want to spend fewer hours watching TV.
Example Sentences With Less
1. She drinks less coffee now to stay healthy.
2. I need less time to finish this task than I thought.
3. This box has less space than the other one.
4. He shows less interest in playing the piano.
5. We should use less plastic to help the environment.
6. There’s less milk in the fridge than we need.
7. She has less patience with people who are always late.
8. We’ve seen less rain this year.
9. I hope there’s less traffic on the way home.
10. They spent less money on their vacation.
Remember, when deciding between “less” and “fewer,” think about whether you can count the items one by one or not.
Common Mistakes With Fewer and Less
While “fewer” and “less” might seem interchangeable, they aren’t. Here are some common mistakes people make with these words and how to correct them:
1. Mistake: I have less books than you.
Correction: I have fewer books than you.
Why: Books are countable; we can count them one by one.
2. Mistake: She did fewer work than her colleague.
Correction: She did less work than her colleague.
Why: Work is uncountable; it refers to a quantity or bulk, not individual items.
3. Mistake: There’s fewer water in the jug.
Correction: There’s less water in the jug.
Why: Water is uncountable; it’s measured in volume, not by individual units.
4. Mistake: We have less players on our team this year.
Correction: We have fewer players on our team this year.
Why: Players can be counted individually.
5. Mistake: He has less pens than I do.
Correction: He has fewer pens than I do.
Why: Pens are countable items.
6. Mistake: There are less dishes to wash tonight.
Correction: There are fewer dishes to wash tonight.
Why: Dishes can be counted one by one.
7. Mistake: She’s less years old than her sister.
Correction: She’s fewer years old than her sister.
Why: Years can be counted individually.
8. Mistake: We need less chairs for the party.
Correction: We need fewer chairs for the party.
Why: Chairs are countable items.
9. Mistake: There’s less apples in the basket.
Correction: There are fewer apples in the basket.
Why: Apples can be counted one by one.
10. Mistake: He has less victories than his competitor.
Correction: He has fewer victories than his competitor.
Why: Victories can be counted individually.
Quiz: “Fewer” vs “Less”
You can find the answer key after this quiz to see how you did.
Section 1: Fill in the Blank
1. There are _______ (less/fewer) students in class today than yesterday.
2. I would like _______ (less/fewer) sugar in my tea, please.
3. We need to buy _______ (less/fewer) eggs for the recipe.
4. She has _______ (less/fewer) experience in this field than her colleague.
5. There’s _______ (less/fewer) milk left in the bottle than I thought.
Section 2: True or False
6. “I have fewer books than you” is a correct sentence. (True/False)
7. “There are fewer water in the bottle” is a correct sentence. (True/False)
8. “She has less patience than her brother” is a correct sentence. (True/False)
9. “I want to spend less hours on this project” is a correct sentence. (True/False)
10. “We need fewer information for the report” is a correct sentence. (True/False)
Section 3: Multiple Choice
11. Which sentence is correct?
- He did fewer mistakes.
- He did less mistakes.
- He made fewer mistakes.
- He made less mistakes.
12. Choose the correct sentence:
- She has less friends than I do.
- She has fewer friends than I do.
- She has less friend than I do.
- She has fewer friend than I do.
13. Which of these is correct?
- We have less time than we thought.
- We have fewer time than we thought.
- We have less times than we thought.
- We have fewer times than we thought.
14. Pick the right sentence:
- The store has fewer stock today.
- The store has less stock today.
- The store has fewer stocks today.
- The store has less stocks today.
15. Which sentence is correct?
- We should use less plastics.
- We should use fewer plastics.
- We should use less plastic.
- We should use fewer plastic.
Quiz Answer Key
Section 1: Fill in the Blank
1. fewer
2. less
3. fewer
4. less
5. less
Section 2: True or False
6. True
7. False
8. True
9. False
10. False
Section 3: Multiple Choice
11. c) He made fewer mistakes.
12. b) She has fewer friends than I do.
13. a) We have less time than we thought.
14. b) The store has less stock today.
15. c) We should use less plastic.