In this article, we will explore the differences between “less” and “fewer.” These words are often used to talk about quantities, but they have distinct uses. Understanding the correct usage of “less” and “fewer” is important for speaking and writing English accurately. Let’s dive into their definitions, usage, common mistakes, and more.
Understanding “Less” and “Fewer”
Definition and Usage
- Less: Used with uncountable nouns (e.g., less water, less time). It is used when referring to a smaller amount of something.
- Fewer: Used with countable nouns (e.g., fewer books, fewer apples). It is used when referring to a smaller number of items.
Pronunciation Variations
- Less: /lɛs/
- Fewer: /ˈfjuːər/
Using “Less”
Explanation with Examples
“Less” is used to talk about amounts of things that cannot be counted individually. These are called uncountable nouns. Here are some examples:
- There is less water in the bottle.
- She has less time to finish the project.
- He drinks less coffee than before.
- We need less sugar in this recipe.
- They have less money to spend on vacation.
- There is less noise in the library.
- We have less information about the event.
- She is eating less chocolate these days.
- He has less strength after the illness.
- The city has less pollution this year.
Less can be used with all tenses:
- Present Simple: I drink less soda now.
- Past Simple: She had less interest in the topic.
- Future Simple: They will spend less time on this task.
- Present Perfect: He has shown less enthusiasm lately.
- Past Perfect: We had less confidence in the plan.
Common Mistakes
- Using “less” with countable nouns:
- Incorrect: “less books”
- Correct: “fewer books”
- Using “less” with plural countable nouns:
- Incorrect: “less apples”
- Correct: “fewer apples”
- Confusing “less” with “fewer”:
- Incorrect: “less people”
- Correct: “fewer people”
- Using “less” in place of “fewer” in comparative structures:
- Incorrect: “less students attended”
- Correct: “fewer students attended”
- Using “less” with specific quantities:
- Incorrect: “less than ten items”
- Correct: “fewer than ten items”
Using “Fewer”
Explanation with Examples
“Fewer” is used to talk about quantities of countable nouns. Countable nouns are things that can be counted individually. Here are some examples:
- There are fewer books on the shelf.
- She has fewer friends in this city.
- He eats fewer cookies than before.
- We need fewer chairs for the meeting.
- They have fewer opportunities to travel.
- There are fewer cars on the road.
- She found fewer mistakes in the report.
- He owns fewer gadgets than his brother.
- We have fewer volunteers this year.
- There are fewer seats available for the concert.
Fewer can be used with all tenses:
- Present Simple: There are fewer students in the class.
- Past Simple: They had fewer guests at the party.
- Future Simple: We will need fewer supplies next month.
- Present Perfect: He has made fewer errors this time.
- Past Perfect: She had fewer opportunities in the past.
Common Mistakes
- Using “fewer” with uncountable nouns:
- Incorrect: “fewer water”
- Correct: “less water”
- Using “fewer” with singular uncountable nouns:
- Incorrect: “fewer milk”
- Correct: “less milk”
- Confusing “fewer” with “less”:
- Incorrect: “fewer patience”
- Correct: “less patience”
- Using “fewer” in place of “less” in comparative structures:
- Incorrect: “fewer information”
- Correct: “less information”
- Using “fewer” with specific amounts:
- Incorrect: “fewer than a liter”
- Correct: “less than a liter”
Differences Between “Less” and “Fewer”
To understand the differences between “less” and “fewer,” remember:
- Less is used to talk about the amount of an uncountable noun.
- Example: There is less traffic on the roads today.
- Fewer is used to talk about the number of a countable noun.
- Example: There are fewer cars on the roads today.
Less answers the question “How much?” while fewer answers the question “How many?” Knowing which question you are answering will help you choose the correct word.
Summary Charts
Less
| Uncountable Noun | Example |
|---|---|
| Less water | There is less water in the bottle. |
| Less time | She has less time to finish the project. |
| Less sugar | We need less sugar in this recipe. |
| Less money | They have less money to spend. |
| Less noise | There is less noise in the library. |
| Less information | We have less information about the event. |
| Less chocolate | She is eating less chocolate these days. |
| Less strength | He has less strength after the illness. |
| Less pollution | The city has less pollution this year. |
Fewer
| Countable Noun | Example |
|---|---|
| Fewer books | There are fewer books on the shelf. |
| Fewer friends | She has fewer friends in this city. |
| Fewer opportunities | They have fewer opportunities to travel. |
| Fewer cars | There are fewer cars on the road. |
| Fewer mistakes | She found fewer mistakes in the report. |
| Fewer gadgets | He owns fewer gadgets than his brother. |
| Fewer volunteers | We have fewer volunteers this year. |
| Fewer seats | There are fewer seats available for the concert. |
Real-Life Examples
- There is less traffic on the roads today.
- She has fewer meetings this week.
- We need less paper to print the documents.
- He eats fewer snacks now.
- They have less homework this semester.
- There are fewer students in the classroom.
- She has less patience for delays.
- He has fewer coins in his collection.
- We need less energy to run the machines.
- They have fewer assignments to complete.
- There is less furniture in the room.
- She has fewer hobbies than before.
- He drinks less milk than he used to.
- We have fewer options available.
- They spent less money on the renovation.
- There is less rain this year.
- We need less flour for this recipe.
- She has fewer shoes than her sister.
- He needs fewer breaks at work.
- They found less evidence in the investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I use “less” with countable nouns? A: No, use “fewer” with countable nouns. Example: There are fewer cars on the road.
Q: Can I use “fewer” with uncountable nouns? A: No, use “less” with uncountable nouns. Example: There is less traffic on the road.
Q: What’s the difference between “less” and “fewer”? A: “Less” is used for uncountable nouns, while “fewer” is used for countable nouns.
Q: Can “less” and “fewer” be used in the same sentence? A: Yes, you can use both in the same sentence if you have both countable and uncountable nouns. Example: There is less water but fewer bottles.
Q: Is “less” always used with uncountable nouns? A: Yes, “less” is used with uncountable nouns to indicate a smaller amount.
Q: Is “fewer” always used with countable nouns? A: Yes, “fewer” is used with countable nouns to indicate a smaller number.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
- Using “less” with countable nouns:
- Incorrect: “I have less books.”
- Correct: “I have fewer books.”
- Using “less” with plural countable nouns:
- Incorrect: “less apples”
- Correct: “fewer apples”
- Confusing “less” with “fewer”:
- Incorrect: “There are less people.”
- Correct: “There are fewer people.”
- Using “less” in place of “fewer” in comparative structures:
- Incorrect: “There were less attendees.”
- Correct: “There were fewer attendees.”
- Using “less” with specific quantities:
- Incorrect: “less than ten items”
- Correct: “fewer than ten items”
- Using “fewer” with uncountable nouns:
- Incorrect: “fewer water”
- Correct: “less water”
- Using “fewer” with singular uncountable nouns:
- Incorrect: “fewer milk”
- Correct: “less milk”
- Confusing “fewer” with “less”:
- Incorrect: “I have fewer patience.”
- Correct: “I have less patience.”
- Using “fewer” in place of “less” in comparative structures:
- Incorrect: “There is fewer information.”
- Correct: “There is less information.”
- Using “fewer” with specific amounts:
- Incorrect: “fewer than a liter”
- Correct: “less than a liter”
Less vs. Fewer Quiz
Test your understanding of “less” and “fewer” with these tricky questions. Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.
- There are ___ people at the party this year.
- a) less
- b) fewer
- We need ___ milk for the recipe.
- a) less
- b) fewer
- He has ___ pens in his bag.
- a) less
- b) fewer
- She has ___ patience than before.
- a) less
- b) fewer
- They have ___ options to choose from.
- a) less
- b) fewer
- We need ___ chairs for the event.
- a) less
- b) fewer
- There is ___ traffic on the road today.
- a) less
- b) fewer
- She has ___ coins in her collection.
- a) less
- b) fewer
- He has ___ work to do this weekend.
- a) less
- b) fewer
- There are ___ apples in the basket.
- a) less
- b) fewer
Quiz Answers
- There are fewer people at the party this year.
- We need less milk for the recipe.
- He has fewer pens in his bag.
- She has less patience than before.
- They have fewer options to choose from.
- We need fewer chairs for the event.
- There is less traffic on the road today.
- She has fewer coins in her collection.
- He has less work to do this weekend.
- There are fewer apples in the basket.
Conclusion
It’s important to understand the difference between “less” and “fewer” when talking about quantities in English. Remember, “less” is used with uncountable nouns, and “fewer” is used with countable nouns. With regular practice, using “less” and “fewer” will become easy. Keep learning, and soon you will use them correctly without thinking!
