When to Use Fewer and When to Use Less

Remembering how to distinguish these terms, and knowing when to use each correctly, is easy. Just keep in mind that less is for broad terms, and fewer is used for quantifiable items.

For example, one may see fewer airplanes, cars, or bicycles. These are all things that we could count if we wanted to. But we may have less peace in the world, less conflict in our relationships, or less stability between countries. The latter involve attributes that we can't count.