Question 1

When do I use "less"?

Accepted Answer

Use less for amounts you measure rather than count: less water, less noise, less patience. If you cannot easily put a number on the noun, it is a mass — and mass nouns take less. You would not say "three waters" or "eight patiences," so it is less water, less patience. Counted nouns (apples, people) take fewer instead.

Question 2

When do I use "fewer"?

Accepted Answer

Use fewer for things you can count: fewer chairs, fewer errors, fewer hours logged.

Question 3

Is it "less people" or "fewer people"?

Accepted Answer

"Fewer people." People are countable, so the correct word is fewer.

Question 4

Is it "10 items or less" or "10 items or fewer"?

Accepted Answer

Grammatically, "10 items or fewer." Items are countable, so they take fewer.

Question 5

Is it "less calories" or "fewer calories"?

Accepted Answer

"Fewer calories." A calorie is a unit you can count, so the right word is fewer.