It goes like this: fewer is used to refer to number among things that are counted, as in “fewer choices” and “fewer problems”; less is used to refer to quantity or amount among things that are measured, as in “less time” and “less effort.”

Is it one fewer or one less?

If the countable noun is plural, choose fewer; if it’s singular, choose less. (When CMOS says to reserve fewer for countable things, it’s talking about plural countable things. When it says to reserve less for mass nouns, it means singular mass nouns.)

Is it fewer years or less years?

Use fewer when you can. Use less with singular nouns; fewer, with plural nouns. But if you’re using a plural noun to measure a chunk or amount of money or time, then you should use less (less than five years, less than 2,500 dollars).

The basic rule to remember in less vs. fewer is: Less means a smaller amount or “not as much” and is used when describing singular or uncountable nouns. Fewer is defined as not as much and is used when describing plural or countable nouns.

Is it less hours or fewer hours?

Senior Member. “Fewer hours”. “Hours” is countable, so you must use “fewer”. “Less” is used only for the uncountable.

1. “Less than” is used for quantities which cannot be counted, for example, “The employment rate in 2009 was less than it was in 2010.” Whereas “fewer than” is used for quantities which can be counted. For example, “Her shopping basket has fewer items than her friend’s shopping basket.”

Is it 12 items or less or fewer?

“12 items or fewer” is correct/standard and “12 items or less” is incorrect/non-standard though common. It sounds common to me too. Less should only be used for non-countable nouns, so “less water”, “less time” but “fewer apples” and “fewer people”. “a glass of water or less” would be correct.

Can you say much fewer?

Many is an adjective, while much is an adverb. As such, many cannot modify the adjective fewer; only an adverb can modify an adjective. Much fewer is simply more correct than many fewer, despite its cacophony.

: a smaller number of persons or things. fewer. adjective. Definition of fewer (Entry 2 of 2) comparative of few.

How do you use fewer in a sentence?

Fewer sentence example
At least for the present, the fewer people who knew, the better. In 2000, Africa had fewer than five million Internet users. We can make better food that uses fewer resources. One little girl had fewer presents than the rest, and Helen insisted on sharing her gifts with her.

Do you use less or fewer with percentages?

Percentages. Percentages are single quantities. They are not countable, so that means using ‘less than’. However when they refer to something countable, then you should use ‘fewer than’.

What is Countables?

: capable of being counted especially : capable of being put into one-to-one correspondence with the positive integers a countable set. Other Words from countable More Example Sentences Learn More About countable.

Because if you’re talking about percentage of something that is COUNTABLE, then you use FEWER THAN. But if you’re talking about the percentage of something that is NON-COUNTABLE, then you use LESS THAN.

How do you use few and fewer?

Use fewer for countable things, and less for things you don’t count. For example, you can have fewer pages, rocks, lions, or tigers, but less sugar, water, confidence, or sympathy. If you can count it, go for few or fewer. Use few for a small countable amount.

How do you use less and fewer in a sentence?

Fewer means “not as many.” We use fewer with countable nouns like cookies. Cookie Monster was told to eat fewer cookies. Less means “not as much.” We use less with uncountable nouns like milk. Could you give Cookie Monster less milk next time?

What is fewer mean in math?

Yes, usually, “fewer” means subtraction, but some questions might try to trick you!

more Smaller. The symbol means greater than). Example: 4

What is the opposite fewer?

Adjective. Opposite of comparatively less than a specified amount. more. additional. extra.