jmc

We can superimpose the graph of $y=x$ on the graph of $y=f(x)$:

Then $|f(a)-a|$ is the vertical distance from the green to the red graph at $x=a$. We can see that this distance varies from $0$ to $1$, inclusive of $0$ but not of $1$ (since the hollow dots on the graph of $y=f(x)$ represent points which are not part of the graph). Since $f(x)\le x$ for all $x$, we see that $f(x)-x$ is zero or negative, and its range is $\boxed{(-1,0]}$.