When writing about numbers, it's important to know whether you are referring to individual items or a group of items as a whole. Use fewer when you are talking about a smaller number of individual items. Use less when you are referring to a smaller quantity of something as a whole.

Examples: The fewer mistakes you make on this exam, the less you will need to study for the next one. There are fewer children enrolled this year, so the school is less crowded.

Some grammarians and style guides, including the Associated Press Stylebook, say that over shouldn't be used with numbers and should be used for spatial relationships only (e.g., the sky is over the land). They recommend using more than with numbers (e.g., more than 20 children attended).

However, Patricia T. O'Connor, author of "Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain Language," one of my favorite references, says this rule is outdated and over can be used instead of more than (e.g., over 20 children attended).

The bottom line: On the debate between over and more than, go with what sounds right to your ear.

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