In recent years, many corporations, including Microsoft, Starbucks, Tesco, and Mercedes-Benz, have famously struggled with the difference between “less” and “fewer.” Therefore, it is little wonder that thousands of individuals also struggle with this concept.
The rule, however, is very simple:
This rule applies to everything except time, distance, and money. In those cases, “less” is used even though they can be counted or measured. For example,
I spent less than 15 minutes on my essay.
The race-car driver began to celebrate when he was less than 100 feet from the finish line.
Luffy’s bounty is high, but it’s less than 500,000,000 ベリ.
Simple Tip:
If you can turn a singular noun into a plural noun by adding “s,” then use “fewer”:
