Less vs. Fewer

People often mix up less and fewer — but there’s a simple rule that will help you get it right every time!

Fewer

Fewer is used with countable nouns — things you can count one by one.

• There were fewer people at the event this year.
• I drank fewer cups of coffee today. ☕
• We need fewer distractions during meetings.

If you can count the items individually (books, apples, mistakes), use fewer.

Less

Less is used with uncountable nouns — things you can't count one by one, like time, money, or water.

• Try to spend less time on social media. ⏳
• There's less sugar in this recipe.
• We have less money this month.

Use less for things that are seen as a whole or in amounts, not separate items.