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Fewer vs less

Fewer for countable things. Less for uncountable amounts.

fewer

with plural countable nouns

Test: Could you put a number in front of the noun?

Fewer people came.
Ten items or fewer.

less

with uncountable nouns and with amounts treated as a whole

Test: Is it a mass or a quantity measured as one amount?

Less sugar, please.
Less than 5 miles away.

Fewer = numbers. Less = amounts.

Test yourself

Five sentences. Apply the test above to each one before you pick.

There were _____ cars on the road.
I have _____ time than I thought.
Use _____ words to say more.
It costs _____ than $20.
We had _____ complaints this year.

Pick an answer for each sentence.

Time, money, distance and percentages

With measurements treated as a single quantity, “less” is standard even though the numbers are countable: “less than 10 minutes”, “less than $50”, “less than 3 miles”, “less than 20%”. Merriam-Webster notes that “less” with count nouns has a long history, but in careful writing, “fewer” with countable plurals is expected.

Catch it automatically

The grammar checker flags common mix-ups like this one by looking at the words around them, and the sentence checker can explain any sentence you’re unsure about.

Questions people ask

Should the supermarket sign say “10 items or fewer”?

By the traditional rule, yes. “10 items or less” is common and widely accepted in informal use.

Other grammar guides

Affect vs effectAffect is usually the verb. Effect is usually the noun.Its vs it’sIt’s = it is / it has. Its = belonging to it.Your vs you’reYou’re = you are. Your = belonging to you.Their, there and they’reTheir = belonging to them. There = place / “there is”. They’re = they are.Advice vs adviseAdvice is the noun (rhymes with “nice”). Advise is the verb (rhymes with “prize”).Then vs thanThan compares things. Then tells you when.Whose vs who’sWho’s = who is / who has. Whose = belonging to whom.Principal vs principlePrinciple = a rule or belief. Principal = main, a head person, or a loan amount.Lose vs looseLose = misplace or not win (rhymes with “shoes”). Loose = not tight (rhymes with “goose”).Who vs whomWho does the action (he). Whom receives it (him).I.e. vs e.g.E.g. = for example (some of many). I.e. = that is (the exact thing).Farther vs furtherFarther = physical distance. Further = degree, time or “more”.Everyday vs every dayEveryday = ordinary (an adjective). Every day = each day.Complement vs complimentCompliment = praise. Complement = something that completes or suits.Into vs in toInto = movement inside or a change. In to = “in” (part of a verb) + “to”.Lay vs lieYou lay something down. You lie down yourself.Accept vs exceptAccept = receive or agree to. Except = apart from.To, too and twoTo = direction or verb marker. Too = also / excessively. Two = 2.