Less vs Fewer: Simple Rules, Examples, and Common Mistakes

Less Vs fewer are two words that look simple, but they have distinct meanings in the world of grammar. The confusion usually starts because both words point to a smaller amount, yet they work in different contexts. In my own writing and editing experience, this small choice can change how clean and professional a sentence feels, especially in academic writing, where every message needs to be conveyed correctly to readers.

The real difference comes down to word usage, language meaning, and contextual usage. Use fewer when you talk about things you can count, and use less when you talk about an amount or quantity. These grammar rules may sound basic, but the subtle differences and nuances matter for researchers, PhD students, bloggers, students, and anyone who wants stronger reader understanding.

This guide gives clear explanations, a simple explanation, and a practical comparison so you can choose the correct usage without overthinking it. Once you understand the logic behind grammar, the choice becomes much easier: countable things take fewer, while general amounts take less.

Table of Contents

Less vs Fewer: Quick Difference

The basic difference depends on the noun that comes after the word.

Word	Use With	Noun Type	Example
Fewer	Things you can count	Countable plural nouns	fewer books
Less	Things you measure	Uncountable nouns or amounts	less water
Fewer than	Countable people or things	Plural nouns	fewer than ten students
Less than	Money, time, weight, distance, amounts	Measurements	less than ten minutes

Read this also: Whole vs Hole

Think of it this way:

Fewer answers: How many?
Less answers: How much?

Correct examples:

fewer books
fewer people
fewer questions
less water
less money
less traffic

Incorrect examples:

less books
less people
fewer water
fewer traffic

The noun decides the word. Not the number. Not the sentence length. Not what sounds familiar.

What Does Fewer Mean?

Fewer means a smaller number of things.

Use it with nouns you can count as separate units. These nouns usually have singular and plural forms.

For example:

one book, two books
one chair, five chairs
one student, twenty students
one mistake, several mistakes

Since each item can stand alone, fewer fits naturally.

Common Countable Nouns That Use Fewer

Countable Noun	Correct Phrase
books	fewer books
people	fewer people
chairs	fewer chairs
students	fewer students
cars	fewer cars
mistakes	fewer mistakes
questions	fewer questions
emails	fewer emails
orders	fewer orders
problems	fewer problems

Examples of Fewer in Sentences

The report had fewer mistakes after editing.
Fewer people attended the meeting this year.
The teacher gave us fewer assignments this week.
The new website received fewer complaints after the update.
We need fewer meetings and more focused work time.
The store sold fewer products during the holiday weekend.
She asked fewer questions after reading the guide.
The app update caused fewer errors than before.

Each noun in these examples can be counted.

You can count mistakes.
You can count people.
You can count assignments.
You can count questions.

That’s your signal.

Simple Test for Fewer

Ask yourself:

Can I put a number before this noun?

If yes, use fewer.

Examples:

Number Test	Correct Phrase
five books	fewer books
three mistakes	fewer mistakes
ten emails	fewer emails
two meetings	fewer meetings

If the noun can comfortably follow a number, fewer is usually the right choice.

What Does Less Mean?

Less means a smaller amount, degree, or quantity.

Use it with nouns you don’t usually count one by one. These are called uncountable nouns or mass nouns.

Examples include:

water
sugar
rice
money
time
traffic
information
advice
furniture
noise
stress
patience

You can measure these things, reduce them, compare them, or increase them. But you don’t usually count them as separate individual objects.

Common Uncountable Nouns That Use Less

Uncountable Noun	Correct Phrase
water	less water
sugar	less sugar
rice	less rice
money	less money
time	less time
traffic	less traffic
advice	less advice
information	less information
furniture	less furniture
noise	less noise
stress	less stress
patience	less patience

Examples of Less in Sentences

Add less sugar if you want a healthier drink.
We had less traffic on the road this morning.
The new process takes less time.
She has less patience when she’s tired.
The room looks bigger with less furniture.
The company spent less money on advertising this month.
This page gives less information than the full report.
A clean desk can create less stress during work.

These nouns act like amounts or general concepts.

You don’t normally say:

two traffics
three advices
five furnitures
many informations

Instead, you use phrases like:

pieces of advice
pieces of furniture
pieces of information

That changes the grammar.

Correct:

less advice
fewer pieces of advice
less furniture
fewer pieces of furniture
less information
fewer pieces of information

The noun after the word controls the choice.

Countable vs Uncountable Nouns

The easiest way to understand this grammar rule is to understand the noun.

A countable noun names something you can count.

An uncountable noun names something you usually treat as a whole amount.

Countable Nouns Take Fewer

Singular	Plural	Correct Phrase
book	books	fewer books
student	students	fewer students
car	cars	fewer cars
task	tasks	fewer tasks
error	errors	fewer errors
customer	customers	fewer customers

Correct:

We received fewer orders today.
The article has fewer spelling errors now.
The company hired fewer employees this year.

Uncountable Nouns Take Less

Uncountable Noun	Correct Phrase
work	less work
homework	less homework
furniture	less furniture
equipment	less equipment
luggage	less luggage
traffic	less traffic
information	less information

Correct:

The new tool creates less work for the team.
Students want less homework before exams.
We need less equipment for this setup.

Same Idea, Different Noun

Sometimes two sentences can mean almost the same thing, but the grammar changes because the noun changes.

Countable Version	Uncountable Version
fewer chairs	less furniture
fewer cars	less traffic
fewer tasks	less work
fewer assignments	less homework
fewer facts	less information
fewer messages	less communication

This is where many mistakes happen.

The meaning may feel similar, but the noun changes the grammar.

Less or Fewer: Easy Side-by-Side Examples

Side-by-side examples make the difference easier to see.

Incorrect	Correct	Why
less books	fewer books	Books can be counted.
fewer water	less water	Water is an amount.
less mistakes	fewer mistakes	Mistakes can be counted.
fewer traffic	less traffic	Traffic is uncountable.
less people	fewer people	People can be counted.
fewer sugar	less sugar	Sugar is measured as an amount.
less emails	fewer emails	Emails can be counted.
fewer information	less information	Information is uncountable.
less chairs	fewer chairs	Chairs can be counted.
fewer furniture	less furniture	Furniture is uncountable.

A helpful pattern appears here.

Plural nouns you can count usually take fewer. General amounts usually take less.

Still, don’t rely only on the s at the end of a word.

For example:

less than five dollars
less than ten miles
less than three hours

These phrases use less because they describe total amounts or measurements.

English has rules. Then it has tiny trapdoors.

When to Use Less Than and Fewer Than

The phrases less than and fewer than follow the same basic rule.

Use fewer than with countable plural nouns.

Use less than with amounts and measurements.

Use Fewer Than with Countable Nouns

Correct:

Fewer than ten students missed class.
Fewer than five employees joined the meeting.
Fewer than twenty tickets are left.
Fewer than three people applied for the role.
Fewer than fifty orders were shipped yesterday.

The nouns are countable:

students
employees
tickets
people
orders

So, fewer than is correct.

Use Less Than with Amounts and Measurements

Correct:

The meeting lasted less than an hour.
The repair cost less than $100.
The package weighs less than five pounds.
The hotel is less than two miles away.
She finished the task in less than a day.

These phrases describe measurements.

Measurement Type	Correct Example
Time	less than an hour
Money	less than $100
Weight	less than five pounds
Distance	less than two miles
Amount	less than half the cake

Quick Tip

Look at the noun after the phrase.

Correct:

fewer than ten books
less than ten dollars
fewer than ten students
less than ten minutes

The number alone does not decide the word.

The noun does.

Important Exceptions to the Less and Fewer Rule

The main rule works most of the time.

However, some common words behave differently because English treats them as measurements or total amounts.

These exceptions appear often, so they matter.

Use Less with Money

Money can be counted in dollars, cents, pounds, rupees, or euros. Still, English usually treats money as a total amount.

That’s why less money sounds natural.

Correct:

I have less money than I expected.
The jacket costs less than $50.
She spent less than $20 on lunch.
The company earned less profit this year.
We saved less cash after the rent increase.

You can use fewer when you mean individual coins or bills.

Correct:

I have fewer coins in my wallet.
The cashier gave me fewer dollar bills than expected.

But in normal writing, choose less with money.

Natural:

less than $100

Awkward:

fewer than 100 dollars

Use Less with Time

Time usually works as a measurable amount.

Correct:

We have less time than we thought.
The class lasted less than two hours.
I slept less than six hours last night.
The task took less time after practice.
The meeting ended in less than thirty minutes.

However, use fewer when you count individual time units.

Correct:

I worked fewer hours this week.
This month has fewer working days.
The course now includes fewer study sessions.
The new schedule gives us fewer breaks.

Here’s the difference:

Meaning	Correct Phrase
Time as one amount	less time
Total duration	less than two hours
Individual hours	fewer hours
Individual days	fewer days
Separate sessions	fewer sessions

So, both can be correct. It depends on the meaning.

Use Less with Weight

Weight is a measurement, so less is correct.

Correct:

The package weighs less than ten pounds.
This laptop weighs less than my old one.
The suitcase must weigh less than fifty pounds.
The baby weighed less than six pounds at birth.

Use fewer only when counting separate objects related to weight.

Correct:

The box contains fewer heavy items now.

Use Less with Distance

Distance works as a measurement too.

Correct:

The office is less than five miles away.
The school is less than ten minutes from here.
The walk is less than half a mile.
The hotel is less far from the airport than expected.

Use fewer with countable parts of a journey.

Correct:

This route has fewer stops.
The new map shows fewer roadblocks.
The trail has fewer steep sections.

Distance takes less. Countable travel parts take fewer.

Less and Fewer with Percentages

Percentages can be tricky because the correct word depends on what the percentage describes.

Ask this question:

A percentage of what?

If the answer is countable, use fewer.

If the answer is an amount, use less.

Use Fewer with Countable Groups

Correct:

Fewer than 20% of students passed the test.
Fewer than 10% of voters changed their minds.
Fewer than 30% of applicants met the requirement.
Fewer than half the employees attended the training.

Students, voters, applicants, and employees are countable.

So, fewer is right.

Use Less with Amounts

Correct:

Less than 20% of the cake was eaten.
Less than half the water remained.
Less than 30% of the budget was used.
Less than one-third of the land was developed.

Cake, water, budget, and land work as amounts in these sentences.

So, less is right.

Percentage Examples Table

Sentence	Correct Word	Reason
___ than 15% of students were absent.	Fewer	Students are countable.
___ than 15% of the milk was used.	Less	Milk is an amount.
___ than half the voters agreed.	Fewer	Voters are countable.
___ than half the pizza is left.	Less	Pizza is treated as a portion.
___ than 25% of employees replied.	Fewer	Employees are countable.
___ than 25% of the budget remains.	Less	Budget is an amount.

The percentage doesn’t decide the grammar.

The noun behind the percentage does.

“10 Items or Less” or “10 Items or Fewer”?

This is the grocery store grammar debate everyone knows.

Strictly speaking, the correct phrase is:

10 items or fewer

Why?

Because items are countable.

You can count one item, two items, three items, and so on.

So, fewer is the precise choice.

Why Do Stores Say “10 Items or Less”?

Many stores use 10 items or less because it sounds short, familiar, and easy to understand.

Everyday speech often chooses convenience over strict grammar. Most shoppers know what the sign means. Nobody drops a watermelon and starts a grammar trial in aisle five.

Still, if you want polished writing, use fewer.

Context	Better Choice
Formal writing	10 items or fewer
Grammar lesson	10 items or fewer
Edited business copy	10 items or fewer
Casual store sign	10 items or less is common
Professional content	10 items or fewer

Best choice:

10 items or fewer

Common Problem Words with Less and Fewer

Some nouns create confusion because they don’t behave the way people expect.

Here are the most common ones.

People

Use fewer people.

Correct:

Fewer people attended the event.
Fewer people use cash now.
The restaurant had fewer people inside after lunch.

People can be counted, so fewer is correct.

Data

Data can work in more than one way.

In technical writing, use fewer when talking about individual data points or data sets.

Correct:

The study collected fewer data points this year.
The report included fewer data sets than expected.

In general writing, data often works as a mass noun.

Correct:

The app uses less data.
We had less data available for the report.

Clearer options:

Meaning	Best Phrase
Individual measurements	fewer data points
Separate collections	fewer data sets
General internet usage	less data
Broad information	less data

When in doubt, add a clearer unit.

Information

Use less information.

Correct:

The page gives less information than the full guide.
Share less personal information online.
The form asks for less information now.

To count it, use another noun.

Correct:

fewer details
fewer facts
fewer pieces of information

Advice

Use less advice.

Correct:

Sometimes people need less advice and more support.
The coach gave less advice during the second session.
Too much advice can feel overwhelming.

To count advice, use pieces of advice.

Correct:

She gave me fewer pieces of advice this time.

Furniture

Use less furniture.

Correct:

The room feels bigger with less furniture.
We need less furniture in this office.
Less furniture makes cleaning easier.

To count individual furniture items, use pieces of furniture.

Correct:

The room needs fewer pieces of furniture.
The office has fewer desks now.
We bought fewer chairs this year.

Homework

Use less homework.

Correct:

The teacher assigned less homework this week.
Students asked for less homework before exams.
Less homework can give students more time to revise.

But assignments are countable.

Correct:

fewer assignments
fewer worksheets
fewer exercises

Traffic

Use less traffic.

Correct:

There was less traffic this morning.
This route has less traffic after rush hour.
Remote work can create less traffic on busy roads.

But vehicles are countable.

Correct:

fewer cars
fewer buses
fewer trucks
fewer vehicles

Calories

Use fewer calories.

Calories are countable units.

Correct:

This snack has fewer calories.
The new recipe contains fewer calories per serving.
Choose fewer calories if you want a lighter meal.

But use less with nutrients that behave like amounts.

Correct:

less sugar
less fat
less sodium
less salt

So, the clean version is:

fewer calories
less sugar
less fat
less salt

When Both Words Can Be Correct

Some nouns change meaning depending on context.

That means both words can be correct, but not in the same meaning.

Chicken

Correct:

We need less chicken in the soup.
The farm has fewer chickens this year.

In the first sentence, chicken means meat. It works as an amount.

In the second sentence, chickens are animals. They can be counted.

Coffee

Correct:

I drink less coffee now.
I ordered fewer coffees for the meeting.

In the first sentence, coffee means the drink as a general amount.

In the second sentence, coffees means cups or servings.

Paper

Correct:

Use less paper to reduce waste.
The teacher graded fewer papers this week.

Paper can mean material. It can also mean essays or documents.

Pizza

Correct:

Eat less pizza if you’re already full.
Order fewer pizzas for a smaller group.

Pizza as food works like an amount. Pizzas as whole pies are countable.

Hair

Correct:

He has less hair now.
I found fewer hairs on the brush.

Hair on someone’s head usually works as an amount. Individual strands are countable.

Context Table

Word	Amount Meaning	Countable Meaning
chicken	less chicken	fewer chickens
coffee	less coffee	fewer coffees
paper	less paper	fewer papers
pizza	less pizza	fewer pizzas
hair	less hair	fewer hairs
glass	less glass	fewer glasses
business	less business	fewer businesses

Context matters.

The same word can behave differently depending on what it means in the sentence.

Formal vs Informal English

In casual speech, people often use less with countable nouns.

You may hear:

less people
less mistakes
less problems
less options

Most listeners understand the meaning. However, formal writing needs more precision.

In polished writing, use:

fewer people
fewer mistakes
fewer problems
fewer options

Formal Writing Examples

Correct:

The report contains fewer errors.
The policy caused less confusion.
The company received fewer complaints.
The new system requires less training.
The campaign generated fewer leads.

Informal vs Formal Table

Informal	Better for Formal Writing
less people came	fewer people came
less mistakes happened	fewer mistakes happened
less problems appeared	fewer problems appeared
less options remain	fewer options remain
less complaints came in	fewer complaints came in

Formal writing rewards accuracy.

A small word choice can make your sentence sound cleaner and more confident.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Most mistakes happen because the writer focuses on the number instead of the noun.

Remember, the noun decides.

Mistake: Less People

Incorrect:

Less people came to the workshop.

Correct:

Fewer people came to the workshop.

Mistake: Less Mistakes

Incorrect:

I made less mistakes in the final draft.

Correct:

I made fewer mistakes in the final draft.

Mistake: Fewer Money

Incorrect:

She has fewer money now.

Correct:

She has less money now.

Mistake: Fewer Information

Incorrect:

The article gives fewer information.

Correct:

The article gives less information.

Better:

The article gives fewer details.

Mistake: Less Hours

This one depends on meaning.

Correct when counting units:

I worked fewer hours this week.

Correct when discussing duration:

I worked for less than three hours.

Mistake: Fewer Than $50

Incorrect:

The bag costs fewer than $50.

Correct:

The bag costs less than $50.

Money works as an amount.

Common Error Table

Incorrect	Correct
less people	fewer people
less mistakes	fewer mistakes
fewer money	less money
fewer information	less information
less emails	fewer emails
fewer traffic	less traffic
less questions	fewer questions
fewer equipment	less equipment
less orders	fewer orders
fewer homework	less homework

Case Study: Business Report Example

Imagine a manager writes this sentence in a monthly report:

The team handled less customer complaints this month, spent fewer money on support tools, and had less delays.

The meaning is clear, but the grammar weakens the sentence.

Here’s the improved version:

The team handled fewer customer complaints this month, spent less money on support tools, and had fewer delays.

Why is this version better?

Phrase	Correct Word	Reason
customer complaints	fewer	Complaints can be counted.
money	less	Money is treated as an amount.
delays	fewer	Delays can be counted.

The corrected sentence sounds more professional.

That matters in business writing. Clean grammar builds trust, especially when the writing explains results, reports, costs, or performance.

Case Study: Student Essay Example

A student writes:

Social media causes less face-to-face conversations among teenagers.

The idea makes sense, but conversations are countable.

Better:

Social media causes fewer face-to-face conversations among teenagers.

Now compare this sentence:

Social media causes less communication among teenagers.

This sentence is also correct because communication works as a general amount or concept.

Phrase	Correct Word	Why
fewer conversations	fewer	Conversations can be counted.
less communication	less	Communication is a general amount.
fewer messages	fewer	Messages can be counted.
less interaction	less	Interaction can work as a broad concept.

The lesson is simple.

Similar meanings can still need different grammar.

Memory Tricks for Less and Fewer

Grammar becomes easier when you attach it to a simple trick.

Count It, Use Fewer

Use fewer when you can count the noun.

Examples:

fewer books
fewer mistakes
fewer students
fewer meetings
fewer products
fewer emails

Measure It, Use Less

Use less when you measure the noun as an amount.

Examples:

less water
less sugar
less time
less money
less traffic
less stress

Many Means Fewer

If you would use many, use fewer.

Examples:

many books → fewer books
many people → fewer people
many errors → fewer errors

Much Means Less

If you would use much, use less.

Examples:

much water → less water
much time → less time
much money → less money

Quick Memory Table

If You Would Say	Use
many customers	fewer customers
many problems	fewer problems
many emails	fewer emails
much traffic	less traffic
much advice	less advice
much pressure	less pressure

Shortcut: Many points to fewer. Much points to less.

Practical Examples for Better Writing

Here are useful examples for everyday writing, business writing, academic writing, and website copy.

Business Writing

We received fewer support tickets this week.
The new system creates less confusion for users.
The campaign produced fewer leads than expected.
The company spent less money on paid ads.
The update caused fewer technical issues.

Academic Writing

The second group made fewer pronunciation errors.
The study found less anxiety among advanced learners.
Fewer participants completed the final survey.
The revised method required less time.
The article includes fewer examples than the textbook.

Website Copy

Get fewer distractions and less clutter.
Spend less time managing orders.
Make fewer mistakes with automated checks.
Enjoy less stress during checkout.
Create fewer abandoned carts with faster pages.

Health and Fitness Writing

Eat fewer processed foods.
Add less sugar to your drinks.
Choose meals with fewer calories.
Spend less time sitting.
Use less oil when cooking.

Everyday English

I have less time today.
We need fewer chairs for the party.
There’s less traffic on this road.
She bought fewer clothes this month.
The soup needs less salt.

Quick Reference Chart

Use this chart when you need a fast answer.

Situation	Use	Example
Countable plural nouns	fewer	fewer books
Uncountable nouns	less	less water
People	fewer	fewer people
Money	less	less than $100
Time as duration	less	less than an hour
Hours as countable units	fewer	fewer hours
Weight	less	less than five pounds
Distance	less	less than two miles
Countable percentage group	fewer	fewer than 30% of voters
Percentage of an amount	less	less than 30% of the budget
Food as an amount	less	less chicken
Animals as countable beings	fewer	fewer chickens
General data	less	less data
Data points	fewer	fewer data points
Furniture	less	less furniture
Pieces of furniture	fewer	fewer pieces of furniture

Practice Quiz: Choose Less or Fewer

Choose the correct word for each sentence.

I made ___ mistakes on the second test.
This recipe needs ___ sugar.
There were ___ cars on the road today.
She has ___ patience when she’s hungry.
The repair cost ___ than $200.
The team received ___ complaints this month.
I worked ___ hours this week.
The project took ___ time than expected.
___ than five students missed class.
The room needs ___ furniture.
The app uses ___ data after the update.
The survey included ___ participants this year.
We need ___ noise in the hallway.
This meal has ___ calories.
The hotel is ___ than two miles away.

Answer Key

Sentence Clue	Answer	Reason
mistakes	fewer	Mistakes can be counted.
sugar	less	Sugar is an amount.
cars	fewer	Cars can be counted.
patience	less	Patience is uncountable.
than $200	less	Money is an amount.
complaints	fewer	Complaints can be counted.
hours	fewer	Hours are countable units here.
time	less	Time is an amount.
students	fewer	Students can be counted.
furniture	less	Furniture is uncountable.
data	less	Data acts as a mass noun here.
participants	fewer	Participants can be counted.
noise	less	Noise is an amount.
calories	fewer	Calories are countable units.
than two miles	less	Distance is a measurement.

Final Rule: How to Choose the Right Word

The difference between less and fewer becomes easier when you focus on the noun.

Use fewer when the noun names separate things you can count.

Use less when the noun names an amount, measurement, quality, or mass.

Here are simple pairs:

fewer books, less reading
fewer cars, less traffic
fewer assignments, less homework
fewer chairs, less furniture
fewer messages, less communication
fewer problems, less stress

The noun carries the answer.

If the noun answers how many, choose fewer.

If the noun answers how much, choose less.

That one habit can clean up your writing fast.

FAQs

Q1.Is it less or fewer?

Use fewer when you can count the noun one by one. Use less when you mean an amount, quantity, or measurement. For example, say fewer books because books are countable. Say less water because water is usually measured as an amount.

Q2.What is the main difference between less vs fewer?

The main difference between less vs fewer is simple: fewer works with countable nouns, while less works with uncountable nouns. If you can count the thing, use fewer. If you measure it, use less.

Q3.Is it fewer people or less people?

The correct phrase is fewer people. People can be counted, so fewer is the better choice in formal and polished writing. You may hear “less people” in casual speech, but fewer people sounds more correct and professional.

Q4.Is it less time or fewer time?

Use less time. Time is usually treated as an amount, not as separate countable items. For example, “I have less time today” is correct. However, if you talk about individual hours or days, use fewer, as in “I worked fewer hours this week.”

Q5.Is it less money or fewer money?

Use less money. Money is treated as a total amount, even though you can count dollars, pounds, or rupees. For example, “She has less money after shopping” is correct. Use fewer only when talking about countable units like coins or bills.

Q6.Is it less calories or fewer calories?

The correct phrase is fewer calories because calories are countable units. For example, “This meal has fewer calories than the regular one.” However, use less with uncountable food items, such as less sugar, less fat, and less salt.

Q7.Is “10 items or less” correct?

In strict grammar, 10 items or fewer is more correct because items can be counted. Still, 10 items or less is common on store signs because it sounds simple and familiar. For formal writing, choose 10 items or fewer.

Q8.When should I use less than?

Use less than with amounts, measurements, money, time, weight, and distance. For example, write less than $50, less than two hours, less than five pounds, and less than ten miles.

Q9.When should I use fewer than?

Use fewer than with countable plural nouns. For example, write fewer than ten students, fewer than five books, fewer than three mistakes, and fewer than twenty people.

Q10.Is it less data or fewer data?

Both can be correct, but the meaning changes. Use less data when you mean data as a general amount, such as internet usage or available information. Use fewer data points when you mean individual pieces of measured information.

Q11.Is it less information or fewer information?

Use less information because information is uncountable. You should not say “fewer information.” If you want to count it, use another phrase like fewer details, fewer facts, or fewer pieces of information.

Q12.Is it less traffic or fewer traffic?

Use less traffic because traffic is treated as an uncountable noun. For example, “There was less traffic this morning” is correct. If you mean individual vehicles, use fewer cars, fewer buses, or fewer trucks.

Q12.Is it less furniture or fewer furniture?

Use less furniture because furniture is uncountable. For example, “The room looks bigger with less furniture.” If you want to count the items, say fewer pieces of furniture, fewer chairs, or fewer tables.

Q13.Is it less mistakes or fewer mistakes?

The correct phrase is fewer mistakes. Mistakes can be counted, so fewer is the right word. For example, “You’ll make fewer mistakes if you review your work carefully.”

Q14.How can I remember less and fewer easily?

Use this simple trick: many means fewer, and much means less. If you would say “many books,” then write fewer books. If you would say “much water,” then write less water. This shortcut works in most everyday sentences.