Which sentence uses fewer with countable items?

Which sentence uses fewer with countable items?

• A. He has fewer than two hours left.
• B. He has less than two hours left.
• C. There is less cars in the parking lot.
• D. We have fewer money to spend.

Answer: (A)

Fewer is used with plural countable nouns, while less is used with uncountable nouns or when talking about an amount as a whole. Hours is a plural countable noun, so describing the amount as a countable quantity uses fewer. That makes the sentence with fewer than two hours left correct. It treats hours as individual units being counted, which fits the rule. The other sentences mix the rule or grammar: - less with hours uses an uncountable form with a countable noun, which isn’t standard here. - there is less cars combines an incorrect determiner with a plural noun and doesn’t match the plural subject (there should be are if it were correct). - fewer money uses the countable form with an uncountable noun; money should take less money, or you could say fewer dollars only if you’re counting individual dollars. So the best choice is the one that uses fewer with a countable plural noun correctly.

Fewer is used with plural countable nouns, while less is used with uncountable nouns or when talking about an amount as a whole. Hours is a plural countable noun, so describing the amount as a countable quantity uses fewer.

That makes the sentence with fewer than two hours left correct. It treats hours as individual units being counted, which fits the rule.

The other sentences mix the rule or grammar:

• less with hours uses an uncountable form with a countable noun, which isn’t standard here.

• there is less cars combines an incorrect determiner with a plural noun and doesn’t match the plural subject (there should be are if it were correct).

• fewer money uses the countable form with an uncountable noun; money should take less money, or you could say fewer dollars only if you’re counting individual dollars.

So the best choice is the one that uses fewer with a countable plural noun correctly.