These two words are often mixed up in usage. Especially by us Indians. But there are distinct contexts where each is used/not used. How do you decide which to use when? It's simple: use fewer when you're talking about things you can count, and less when you're talking about things you cannot count. Let's get to the details... You use "fewer" when you are talking about people or things in the plural form. E.g. Dogs, schools, cars. Examples Fewer students are opting to study this course. Fewer than 100 dogs die each year of cancer. You use "less" when you're talking about something that can't be counted. E.g. Water, music, homework. Examples When I'm at work, I listen to less music. The pond has less water. Exceptions As is the case with most English grammar rules, there are exceptions to this one. For the following, you need to use "less" instead of "fewer", even though you can quanti