there were fewer people in the shop vs there were less people in the shop

The correct phrase is 'there were fewer people in the shop.' 'Fewer' is used with countable nouns like 'people,' while 'less' is used with uncountable nouns. In this case, 'people' is countable, so 'fewer' is the appropriate choice.

Last updated: March 08, 2024

there were fewer people in the shop

This phrase is correct. 'Fewer' is used with countable nouns like 'people.'

Use 'fewer' when referring to a smaller number of countable items or individuals.

Examples:

There were fewer students in the classroom today.
I have fewer books than you.
She ate fewer cookies than her brother.
Fewer cars were on the road during the holiday.
The store had fewer customers than usual.

Alternatives:

there were fewer items in the basket
there were fewer apples on the tree
there were fewer houses on the street
there were fewer animals in the zoo
there were fewer guests at the party

there were less people in the shop

This phrase is incorrect. 'Less' should not be used with countable nouns like 'people.'

Avoid using 'less' with countable nouns. Instead, use 'fewer.'

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there were fewer people in the shop vs there were less people in the shop