Is "Number" Singular or Plural?
"The Number Of" Is Singular
The phrase "the number" is singular. For example:- The number of visitors is increasing.
- The number has dropped dramatically.
- The number of votes was twenty-two.
"A Number Of" Is Plural
The phrase "a number" is plural. For example:- A number of visitors are leaving.
- A number have disappeared.
- A number of votes were lost.
"A Number" Can be Singular
Be aware that the term "a number" can be singular when it refers to a number symbol (i.e., not a letter). For example:- A number is visible beneath the varnish.
The Difference between "Amount" and "Number"
Use "amount" with a single item. Use "number" with multiple items.- A large amount of people (This is wrong because "people" is plural.)
- A large amount of flour (This is correct because "flour" is singular.)
- A large number of people
- At that stage, a huge amount of sugar and a vast number of chocolate buttons are poured in and stirred. There is a short wait and then a seemingly infinite number of chocolates whizz along the belt.
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