The Wall Street Journal | July 15, 2023
"Study shows workers spend less time commuting but take fewer breaks when working from home."
Fewer vs. Less
The '30 Seconds' Difference At A Glance
Use 'fewer' for things you can count individually. Use 'less' for things you measure in bulk or can't count. If you can put a number in front of it, use 'fewer'.
I need fewer emails in my inbox and less stress in my life. She drinks fewer cups of coffee but uses less sugar.
A Deeper Look
'Fewer' is for things you can count one by one. Think of items you could put numbers in front of: three cats, ten books, five mistakes.
There are fewer students in the class this year.
I'm trying to make fewer mistakes in my spelling.
'Less' is for things you measure or can't count individually - like liquids, feelings, or time. You might measure them, but you wouldn't count them one by one.
Please put less milk in my tea this time.
There's less traffic on Sundays.
Common Usage Patterns
Fewer
"Fewer people"
"Fewer options"
"Fewer problems"
Less
"Less time"
"Less money"
"Less effort"
Key Patterns
Fewer: used with plural countable nouns
Less: used with singular mass nouns
Numbers: traditionally fewer, but less is common
What Teachers Say
"I tell students to try making it singular. If you can, like 'apple' from 'apples', use 'fewer'. If you can't, like making 'water' singular, use 'less'."
-- James, Dublin
"In business writing, both are acceptable with numbers now. 'Less than 50 applicants' sounds more natural to most people than 'fewer than 50 applicants'."
-- Linda, Toronto
"Focus on clear cases first - 'fewer books' but 'less water'. The edge cases with numbers and measurements will come naturally with exposure to everyday usage."
-- Robert, Sydney
From The Headlines
The Guardian | March 22, 2016
"New fuel-efficient cars use less gas but have fewer features than luxury models."
The Boston Globe | September 8, 2011
"Restaurant reports they are serving fewer customers at higher prices."
Test Yourself!
1. The recipe calls for _______ ingredients but _______ mixing time.
2. The new system generates _______ errors and requires _______ maintenance.
3. They spent _______ than $100 and bought _______ than ten items, resulting in _______ waste.
