In the English language, many commonly confused words can easily get mixed up. Such is also the case with “number” and “amount” when referring to a group of objects, people, or literally anything. It is essential in academic writing to know the difference between these two to avoid unnecessary mistakes. The following article will dive into the definitions of the two words and explore their meaning and applications.
Definition of “number” vs. “amount”
Both “number” and “amount” refer to a group of something where the exact size is not given. “Number” is used for countable nouns and objects you can easily quantify. “Amount,” on the other hand, goes with uncountable nouns, such as big masses or liquids. Both words are nouns and are used in the same way in a sentence.
Both words can also be used as verbs, where “to amount” means “to come to” or “to add up to.” The two words can also be used as synonyms, since they mean the same thing and only change according to the noun they refer to. Thus, “to number” also means “to come to” or “to add up to.”
Number
… is used as a noun to quantify countable nouns, such as people or apples. As a verb, it is used when you want to describe that something adds up to a number.
Amount
… is used as a noun to quantify uncountable nouns, such as water or data. As a verb, it is used when you want to describe that something adds up to an amount.
Since they are practically equivalent, “number” and “amount” can easily be confused. Thus, it is all the more important to remember when to use which.
- “Number” as a noun is used with countable nouns.
- “Amount” goes with uncountable nouns.
Using the word “number”
The word “number” can be used as a noun or a verb. How it is applied in a sentence will be explained below.
“Number” as a noun
As a noun, “number” always refers to countable nouns such as people, books, or bottles. In the most basic meaning, “number” simply refers to a digit or a numeral, always in the company of said numeral.
Examples
- He played as number 9 on the field.
- She just owns a small number of books.
- There was an enormous number of people at the festival.
- They had quite a number of empty bottles in the basement.
“Number” as a verb
As a verb, “number” means “to count” or you give a number to something, as well as “to amount to.”
Examples
- Yesterday I numbered my books.
- She numbered all her sheets and one was missing.
- The guests at their party numbered up to over 100.
Tip for using “number” correctly
Synonyms for “number” avoid repetition and redundancy and improve your language overall. Use these to elevate your writing and make it more appealing to your readers.
| Synonyms (noun) | Examples |
| Quantity | I found a small number of pebbles on my porch. |
| I found a small quantity of pebbles on my porch. | |
| Total | She bought a number of five new pens. |
| She bought a total of five new pens. | |
| Group | While they were out, they spotted a number of trees. |
| While they were out, they spotted a group of trees. | |
| Bunch | Yesterday he met a number of weird people. |
| Yesterday he met a bunch of weird people. |
| Synonyms (verb) | Examples |
| Enumerate | She likes to number her books. |
| She likes to enumerate her books. | |
| Add up to | The attendants quickly numbered 1,000. |
| The attendants quickly added up to 1,000. | |
| Amount to | The audience for the concert numbered in the thousands. |
| The audience for the concert amounted to the thousands. |
Using the word “amount”
“Amount” is used as an equivalent of “number,” just with uncountable nouns instead. It can also function as a verb, just the same as “to number,” too.
“Amount” as a noun
As a noun, “amount” always refers to uncountable nouns such as liquids, hair, or wood. Furthermore, “amount” is also used for abstract nouns such as feelings.
Examples
- She lost quite an amount of hair during her illness.
- The concert gave all the visitors a huge amount of pleasure.
- They prepared an enormous amount of wood for the winter.
- After the storm, he found an amount of water in his basement.
“Amount” as a verb
“Amount” as a verb is used the same way as “number,” meaning “add up to,” or “come to.” In some cases, it can also signify equality.
Examples
- In the end, our wood storage amounted to a few 100 kg.
- All their explanations amounted to a total construct of lies.
- The rainfall amounted to a total of 4 liters per square meter.
Tips for using “amount”
Including synonyms for “amount” will elevate your writing and prevent repetition. Here are some alternative words to use with example sentences.
| Synonyms (noun) | Examples |
| Quantity | I found an uncountable amount of pebbles on my porch. |
| I found an uncountable quantity of pebbles on my porch. | |
| Load | They drank an amount of wine that evening. |
| They drank a load of wine that evening. | |
| Mass | We collected a huge amount of old plastic to make recycled jewelry. |
| We collected a mass of old plastic to make recycled jewelry. |
| Synonyms (verb) | Examples |
| Add up to | The costs for the event amounted to over 2,000$ in the end. |
| The costs for the event added up to over 2,000$ in the end. | |
| Total | In the end, the thesis amounts to over 100 pages. |
| In the end, the thesis totaled over 100 pages. | |
| Equal | Their apologies amounted to a total walk of shame. |
| Their apologies equaled a total walk of shame. |
Note: An often used synonym for “number” and “amount” is “quantity.” Although it is a very valid choice to avoid repetition, keep in mind that you cannot just exchange them. “Quantity” can be used for both countable and uncountable nouns. However, it refers only to inanimate things, such as objects, and not living beings.
Exceptions
While the general rule for using “number” and “amount” is straightforward, there are some exceptions that make sense once explained. For instance, with uncountable items like hair or rice, “amount” is typically used since they cannot be easily counted individually. However, if referring to a small quantity, like a few grains of rice or individual hairs, “number” is used instead.
Examples
- He found a number of hairs in his soup.
- Today he will buy a large amount of rice for the party.
- A small number of rice grains were scattered on the counter.
- After the haircut, she had to collect a good amount of hair off the floor.
Test yourself!
Practice sheet
To improve your ability to differentiate between “number” and “amount,” fill in the blanks in the given sentences. The correct answers can be found on the second tab.
- She found ____ of books under her bed.
- I found a huge ____ of leaves on my balcony.
- In the end, his purchase ____ a total of $200.
- By the end of the night, we had eaten a good ____ of cookies…
- …and drunken quite ____ of cola.
- To not get confused, she ____ all her packages.
- Their flimsy excuses ____ a perfect confession.
- The smallest ____ of rice grains on the floor will make Mum mad.
- When I counted the ponies, they ____ up to 18 in total.
- After they became a couple, they felt a great ____ of joy.
- She found a number of books under her bed.
- I found a huge number of leaves on my balcony.
- In the end, his purchase amounted to a total of $200.
- By the end of the night, we had eaten a good number of cookies…
- …and drank quite an amount of cola.
- To not get confused, she numbered all her packages.
- Their flimsy excuses amount to a perfect confession.
- The smallest number of rice grains on the floor will make Mom mad.
- When I counted the ponies, they numbered up to 18 in total.
- After they became a couple, they felt a great amount of joy.
in Your Thesis
FAQs
You use “number” when the noun it is referring to is countable, such as books or people. You use “amount” when the noun is not countable, such as wine or hair.
Technically, yes. Number as well as amount mean the same thing. However, they cannot be used as synonyms by just switching them out. You have to choose the right one based on the noun they refer to. If the noun is countable, you use “number,” whereas with an uncountable noun, you use “amount.”
Not always. “Number” is used with countable nouns, and “amount” is used with uncountable nouns. Quantity can refer to both countable and uncountable nouns, as long as the objects are inanimate. This means you can have a quantity of books or boxes, but not a quantity of people or animals.
