FEWER OR LESS? EXERCISE 1 (ESL)
B1–B2 · IntermediateFewer and less both mean “a smaller amount,” but they’re not interchangeable — and the rule for choosing between them is the same distinction that drives many other quantifier choices in English.
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1. ________________ people live here than in San Diego.
Correct answer: Fewer
2. I make ________________ money than he does.
Correct answer: less
3. I'm tired. I need to ask for ________________ responsibilities.
Correct answer: fewer
4. He travels to Canada ________________ than he used to.
Correct answer: less
5. They know ________________ than they pretend to know.
Correct answer: less
6. ________________ children are studying French these days.
Correct answer: Fewer
7. You should eat ________________ meat.
Correct answer: less
8. There are ________________ homeless people in Los Angeles today than there were five years ago.
Correct answer: fewer
9. I want to donate some of my furniture, so that I have ________________ .
Correct answer: less
10. There are ________________ good teachers these days.
Correct answer: fewer
Grammar review
Fewer or less?
Both fewer and less mean “a smaller amount of”, but the choice depends on whether the noun is countable or uncountable.
FEWER — with countable nouns (things you can count individually):
“Fewer people came than expected.”
“There are fewer cars on the road today.”
“She made fewer mistakes this time.”
LESS — with uncountable nouns (things measured, not counted):
“He drinks less coffee now.”
“We have less time than I thought.”
“There is less traffic on Sundays.”
A simple test: Can you put a number in front of the noun? five people, three cars, two mistakes → countable → fewer. You can’t say five traffic or three coffee → uncountable → less.
Note: In informal spoken English, less is often used with countable nouns (“less people”), and you’ll see it on signs like “10 items or less”. However, in formal writing, the distinction between fewer and less is still expected.
Both fewer and less mean “a smaller amount of”, but the choice depends on whether the noun is countable or uncountable.
FEWER — with countable nouns (things you can count individually):
“Fewer people came than expected.”
“There are fewer cars on the road today.”
“She made fewer mistakes this time.”
LESS — with uncountable nouns (things measured, not counted):
“He drinks less coffee now.”
“We have less time than I thought.”
“There is less traffic on Sundays.”
A simple test: Can you put a number in front of the noun? five people, three cars, two mistakes → countable → fewer. You can’t say five traffic or three coffee → uncountable → less.
Note: In informal spoken English, less is often used with countable nouns (“less people”), and you’ll see it on signs like “10 items or less”. However, in formal writing, the distinction between fewer and less is still expected.
KEEP PRACTICING — MORE EXERCISES FOR YOU:
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Either/or, neither/nor, too 1 (B1/B2)
Some or any? 1 (B1/B2)
Some or any? 2 (A2/B1)
Whole or all? 1 (B1/B2)
More, most, or the most? 1 (B1/B2)
More, most, or the most? 2 (B1/B2)
Other, another, or different? 1 (B2/C1)
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A or the? 1 (A1/A2)
A or the? 2 (A1/A2)
Article or no article? 1 (A2/B1)
Article or no article? 2 (A2/B2)
Article or no article? 3 (A2/B2)
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Browse all grammar exercises →
More quantifier exercises:
Either/or, neither/nor, too 1 (B1/B2)
Some or any? 1 (B1/B2)
Some or any? 2 (A2/B1)
Whole or all? 1 (B1/B2)
More, most, or the most? 1 (B1/B2)
More, most, or the most? 2 (B1/B2)
Other, another, or different? 1 (B2/C1)
Related article exercises:
A or the? 1 (A1/A2)
A or the? 2 (A1/A2)
Article or no article? 1 (A2/B1)
Article or no article? 2 (A2/B2)
Article or no article? 3 (A2/B2)
Articles with geographic names 1 (B1/B2)
Browse all grammar exercises →
