Which term would you use for items that can be counted?

The correct term for items that can be counted is "fewer." This term specifically applies to countable nouns, which are items that can be quantified individually, such as apples, books, or cars. When you want to express a reduction in the number of these countable items, "fewer" is the appropriate choice.

For example, you would say "fewer apples" when referring to a smaller quantity of apples that can be individually counted. This distinction is crucial in English grammar because "less" is used for uncountable nouns, like water or sand, which cannot be counted individually.

The term "more" refers to an increase in quantity and can apply to both countable and uncountable nouns, but it doesn't specifically indicate that the items are countable. "Many" is a descriptive term often used to refer to a large quantity of countable items but does not directly indicate a reduction or a specific context of counting, making "fewer" the most precise term when discussing a decrease in countable items.