The Difference Between Fewer and Less in English

本文谈谈关于fewer和less在英语中的区别。学好语法可以正确表达。看看一个作家是怎么用这两个单词的：

The more you say, the less people remember. The fewer the words, the greater the profit.

什么时候用Fewer和Less

fewer是形容词few的比较级形式。它与可数名词连用，也就是可以计数的名词(如一只猫 a cat，两只猫two cats)。

less是形容词little的比较级形式。它主要用于不可数名词(如水water、沙sand、钱money)。

例句:

• A secretary makes less money than a CEO.
• There were fewer tomatoes in the basket than we had hoped.
• We went to the countryside every weekend, but now we have less time for it.
• Billy has fewer toys than his older brother.

Less也可以用在复数名词前(非正式用语)，但这并不典型。

例如:

• Now I’ve got fewer tasks than I used to have.
• Now I’ve got less tasks than I used to have.

Less和fewer有时与限定词(the, my, this等)和代词(her, us it) 之前的介词of连用。

例句:

• Last year there were lot of students in the drama class, but this year there are fewer of them.
• Did he drink half the milk? No, he drank less of it.
• I wish my brother spent less of his time playing computer games.

The preposition of is not used before a noun without a determiner.

如果名词之前没有限定词（the, my, this等）不能用介词of。

例句:

• If you want to be healthy, you should eat less sweets and pasta and do some yoga.
• Mark won fewer prizes than his opponent.

Less and fewer可以单独使用，也就是说不需要名词，如果它们的意思很明确。

例句:

• If you practice less, you will improve less.
• Did you buy 5 dresses? No, bought fewer/less.
• He often eats less than he should.