Amount of vs Number of vs Quantity of – Grammar Shorts

Amount of vs Number of vs Quantity of

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We use amount of, number of and quantity of to talk about how much or how many. But they are not always interchangeable — each is used in specific situations depending on the type of noun.

Amount of

Amount of is used before uncountable nouns to talk about quantity – but without giving an exact measurement. It is often used after a size adjective such as large, small, huge, etc.

• A large amount of money was spent on building the new extension.
• A small amount of water was found under the floor.

We can also use amounts of to talk about several different quantities of something.

• Since she’s been ill, Anne has only been able to eat small amounts of food at a time.

Number of

We use number of before countable nouns in plural form, and we often use it with adjectives like large, small, etc.

• A large number of local families are living below the poverty line.

When we use number of without a size adjective, it usually means ‘many’.

• Sara takes a number of different pills each day to keep her blood pressure under control.

Quantity of

Quantity of can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. It’s usually used after a size adjective like large or small.

• A large quantity of the donations we receive comes from the families of former patients.
• Only a small quantity of the paper we produce is actually recycled.

We can also use the plural form quantities of to talk about more than one amount of something.

• My grandmother is only able to consume small quantities of water at a time.

Although quantity of can be used instead of amount of or number of, it is more formal or technical. We often use it when talking about things that are measured carefully or discussed in scientific, academic, or official contexts. In everyday English, amount of or number of usually sounds more natural.

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1 A _____ the eggs were rotten so we threw them away.

A. amount of

B. number of

C. quantity of

2 A large _____ my work can be done from home.

A. amount of

B. number of

C. quantity of

3 Vast _____ oil are exported to the USA each month.

A. quantity of

B. numbers of

C. quantities of

4 We only managed to save a small _____ the bananas from the flies.

A. amount of

B. number of

C. quantity of

5 The patient had lost a large _____ of blood and was therefore very weak.

A. amount

B. number

C. quantities

6 A significant _____ of buildings were destroyed during the devastating earthquake.

A. amount

B. number

C. quantity

7 They measured the exact _____ of toxic gas in the sample.

A. amounts

B. number

C. quantity

8 The kidnappers demanded a large _____ of money in exchange for Joe’s wife’s safe return.

A. amount

B. number

C. quantities

9 A _____ of the children in the class come from multi-lingual households.

A. amount

B. number

C. quantity

10 No _____ of money can compensate for what we’ve lost.

A. amount

B. number

C. quantity

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Explanation

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