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Less Versus Fewer

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You may have heard the traditional "countable" rule about less versus fewer, but there's also a
better rule you may not have heard that covers some of the exceptions to the traditional rule.

January 30, 2015

By Mignon Fogarty, Grammar Girl

Episode #453

If you want a simple rule, the difference between less and fewer is
straightforward: The traditional advice is that fewer is for things you
count, and less is for things you dont count.
You can count M&Ms, glasses of water, and potatoesso you eat
fewer M&Ms, serve fewer glasses of water, and buy fewer potatoes
for the salad.
You cant count candy, water, or potato saladso you eat less
candy, observe that the lake has less water, and make less potato
salad for the next potluck.

The Singular Versus Plural Rule

As I said, that's the simple rule, and the one you'll hear most often, but another way to think about the
difference that also takes care of some of the exceptions to the simple rule is to use less for singular
nouns and fewer for plural nouns. For example, the Chicago Manual of Style recommends using the
singular or plural framework.

For the easy nouns, it works the same way:

Singular: Less

Plural: Fewer

Candy is . . . less candy

M&Ms are . . . fewer M&Ms

Water is . . . less water

Glasses of water are . . . fewer glasses of

water

Potato salad is . . . less potato

salad

Potatoes are . . . fewer potatoes

Time, Money, Distance, and Weight

Time, money, distance, and weight are often listed as exceptions to the traditional can you count it
rule because they take less, but when you use the singular or plural rule, time, money, distance, and
weight all fall in line. Although a thousand dollars is certainly countablea bank teller will do it for you
gladlywe routinely ignore that fact and think of them as singular amounts:
He believes $1,000 dollars is a lot of money.
She says that 50 miles is a long drive for ice cream.
We think 12 hours is too much time to spend on the road.

Theyre singular and they take less:

We had less than $1,000 dollars in the bank.
Were less than 50 miles away.
I can fix the roof in less than 12 hours.
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61 Comments

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Ted Ross Harvard University

What about in a comparative clause such as "I had fewer than 8 hours today at work."
There I would think fewer would be better because there isn't a general quantity but a
specific quantity.
Like Reply Mar 14, 2016 1:23am

Tessa Mineo
What about if you're saying "This course can be completed in less than 12 months" would it be "less than" or "fewer than"? I know "fewer than" is the grammatical correctness
as per this post, however it doesn't sound 100% right in context? Any advice?
Like Reply Mar 8, 2016 1:03am

Sebastian Haff
Less than would be correct. See above "Time, Money, Distance, and Weight"
Like Reply Mar 10, 2016 7:18am

Jay Gee Founder at Glapion Law Firm

I don't buy the "much" vs "many" comparison when it comes to the 10 items sign.
When we are trying to figure out how we view items (which, for the purposes of the sign,
we are), the proper question would be "How many/much items can I bring through this
line?" "Many" is the clear winner which suggests "fewer" is as well.
That said, screw the rigidity. Language changes.
Like Reply Mar 5, 2016 8:34am

Sebastian Haff
Yes it changes, but it shouldn't be destroyed. Literally is a good example - the
word is being destroyed to where we lack the ability to say literally anymore.
There is no word. We had terrorism and terror... now a headline "plane terror"
coudl be either, they have removed the ability to distinguish between a terrible

act or an emotion.
Like Reply Mar 10, 2016 7:20am

Stephen Lee
Should an essay contest require "250 words or less", or "250 words or fewer"?
Like Reply Feb 26, 2016 8:41pm

Tony Wilson Brea Olinda High School

Fewer than 250 words.
Like Reply

1 Feb 28, 2016 3:35pm

Sheldon Goldfarb Vancouver, British Columbia

Tony Wilson 250 words or less is standard English.
Like Reply Mar 14, 2016 1:11pm

Lindsay Szymanski Edmonton, Alberta

Sheldon Goldfarb Just because it is "standard English", doesn't mean it is proper
grammar.
Like Reply Mar 30, 2016 3:20pm

John Dollarhide Writing Center Tutor at Ivy Tech Community College Southwest
Regarding the examples at the bottom of the first page (money, distance, and time): are
they singular because they really refer to "lot," "drive," and "time" rather than "dollars,"
"miles," and "hours?" Just curious.
Like Reply Feb 9, 2016 9:19pm

Grem Bury
Heinz ad says '50% less sugars' in irs new recipe ketchup. Sounds clumsy to me.
Like Reply

2 Jan 22, 2016 4:48am

John Dollarhide Writing Center Tutor at Ivy Tech Community College

Southwest
Me too - sounds as if they put different types of sugars in their ketchup. No
wonder I'm fat.
Like Reply

2 Feb 9, 2016 9:21pm

Millard Peabody
How about the comment after a long car trip - "I arrived in less than 2 peices" as opposed
to "I arrived in fewer than 2 pieces"
Like Reply Jan 4, 2016 11:28pm

Tracy Redlin Unnasch

I'm mourning the apparent death of the word 'fewer'. Seriously. Is it so hard?!
Like Reply

4 Dec 23, 2015 11:56pm

Doni-Mae Teeber
Seriously. Is it so difficult?
Like Reply

1 Feb 8, 2016 1:49pm

Michael Mathews
Why does "San Francisco has received fewer than five inches of rain since October 1"
sound incorrect?

sound incorrect?
Like Reply Dec 21, 2015 4:28pm Edited

Johnathan Scott Professor at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly)

Maybe because the snow isnt falling in one inch increments but in a more
homogenous manner? So it almost becomes like the candy example.
Like Reply Jan 22, 2016 8:14am

Jennifer Graves
San Francisco may have received less rain since then, but it has received fewer
inches of rain.
It sounds incorrect because people say it incorrectly and the incorrect usage
therefore sounds familiar.
Like Reply Feb 1, 2016 7:46pm

Turner Monroe Being a legend at All Over the Place

Jennifer Graves but isn't 'correct' language the language that native speakers
commonly recognize as correct? Seems the language is just changing, as it
does.
Like Reply Mar 30, 2016 9:17am

Maribeth Amundsen Work Study Student Assistant at Alamance Community College

50% fewer calories or 50% less calories?
Like Reply Dec 9, 2015 1:29pm

Nutrition Diva
50% fewer calories, 50% less fattening!
Like Reply

5 Dec 9, 2015 3:22pm

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