Number and amount


✔️ The internet is becoming accessible to a growing number of people.

✖️ The internet is becoming accessible to a growing amount of people.


✔️ The table shows the number of people who visited the gallery each day.

✖️ The table shows number of people who visited the gallery each day.


✔️ I've definitely noticed an increase in the number of butterflies this year.

✖️ I've definitely noticed an increase in the amount of butterflies this year.


📊 We use number of  before a plural countable noun.


➰ The chart shows the number of  hours / passengers / people / schools / times etc.


📊 We use amount of  before an uncountable noun.


➰ If we look at the amount of  energy / food / information / money / time / waste etc.


📊 We use the + {number / amount} of  to talk generally about a quantity.


➰ The number of  passengers carried each year has risen gradually.

➰ We need to reduce the amount of  water we waste.


📊 We often use a/an before an adjective + number of / amount of .


➰ They spend a significant amount of money on travel. (not an important amount of)

➰ This is the best way to reach a large number of people. (not a big number of)


⛔️ But: the average / greatest / largest / maximum / same / total number / amount of  something.


📊 Number and amount are used to describe the actual quantities of things or people. Percentage, proportion, rate etc. are used to describe measurements as part of a total.


➰ The percentage of  students with blue eyes is 25%.

➰ The number of  students with blue eyes is 6.