Fewer vs Less

[Audio] Welcome everyone! Today we are here to learn about a common mistake that test-takers often make - the distinction between "Fewer" and "Less." For this lesson, we will be using a digital balance scale with circles to illustrate the difference between these two words. Let's get started!.

[Audio] To differentiate countable and uncountable nouns, countable nouns are things we can count like apples, people, or books. Uncountable nouns are things we can't count and can't be broken down into individual parts such as water, time, or air. For example, a digital balance scale using circles, one can count the number of circles on each side and use "FEWER" to compare the two sides..

[Audio] Imagine a digital balance scale with two circles. On the left circle, we have grapes. How many grapes does somebody eat for their lunch? On the right circle, we have a jug of water. How much water is in the jug after a party? Pause the video, take a minute to think of the answers to these questions, then resume playback and see if you got it right. This example is to illustrate the difference between "fewer" and "less" - an issue many GMAT test-takers come across..

[Audio] Understanding the difference between fewer and less is essential for mastering the GMAT exam. To illustrate, let's look at an example. A digital balance scale on the right can be used to demonstrate the correct usage. If there are grapes on one side and water on the other, fewer should be used for the grapes because they are countable, and less should be used for the water because it is uncountable. For example, "He ate fewer grapes during lunch" and "There's less water in the jug after the party.

[Audio] When it comes to the difference between "fewer" and "less", test-takers often make the same mistake of using "less" when they really should use "fewer". To comprehend the difference, envision a digital balance scale - with one side representing countable items such as slices of pizza, coins, and books, and the other side representing uncountable items like water, jam, and sand. This corresponds to "fewer" and "less" respectively. Hence, when measuring something that can be counted, "fewer" is used; while "less" is used when measuring something that is uncountable..

[Audio] Alex was facing a challenge to solve -- to use the terms 'fewer' and 'less'. 'Fewer' is used when referring to a countable number of things, while 'less' is used when referring to a volume of something that cannot be counted, such as distance, time, or money. Alex solved this challenge by selling 'less' croissants out of the expected 'fewer'. Thus, the correct answer to this challenge was (B) less - fewer..

Thank you for joining us today. Best of luck on your GMAT journey! See you in the next lesson.