Is it fewer or less? Countable and uncountable nouns.

❓ Confused about fewer or less?

When people say there’s a rule about this, they are usually on about countable and uncountable nouns.

🔢 Something you can count? Like pens? Or dolls?

✔ I have fewer pens than you.
✔ You have fewer dolls than me.

⏳ Something you can’t count? Like time? Or information?

✔ She has less time available.
✔ I had less information about that.

💡 It’s not a hard and fast rule. Personally, I don’t mind phrases like ‘in 50 words or less’ – even though you can count words. The meaning is perfectly clear.

But, if you want a rule to guide you, going for ‘can you count it/them?’ as a rule of thumb is a quick and easy way to remember the difference.

Countable = fewer
Uncountable = less