Dear all,
I am wondering about which one is correct or should I say, both.
My Examples:
A number of people are dying.
The number of people speaks English in my community.
I think both of them are correct or
Thanks a lot
Noren
‘A number of people are dying’ is correct. “A number of people” should be referred to with the plural form of the verb. The singular form would sound very odd.
So:
‘A number of people speak (not speaks) English in my community.’ would be correct because the plural of ‘he or she speaks’ is ‘they speak’.
The first is correct, the second is wrong.
A good rule of thumb is that “A number of people” requires the plural form of the verb, whilst “the number of people” takes the singular form. The logic being that in the first case the subject of the sentence is the people, whilst in the second it is the number.
Two examples may make the rule clearer:
“The number of students in this class has grown” – meaning there are more of them. The number has got bigger.
A number of students in this class have grown" – meaning some of the students have got bigger.
Hi,
I think both of them are correct
A number of + noun -> plural noun
The number of + noun -> single noun
Look at the two posts above yours. Both have explained that the second is incorrect.
Both are correct of course. The number of + singular verb, A number of + plural verb.
No, the second one is definitely incorrect.
You can say “The number of students in my class has grown.”
You cannot say “The number of students in my class speaks English.”
“The number of” is used for actual counting, and it’s literal. Therefore the “number” will never do anything such as “speaking” with this construction. It would take a singular verb, but it doesn’t make sense in the second sentence at all.
“A number of” just means “many” or a significant portion, and it would take the plural verb. It makes sense in the second sentence.
Hi Noren,
It’s worth noting that it isn’t the/a number doing the dying/speaking but the people.
Alan
The number of + plural noun + singular verb
A number of + plural noun + plural verb
Hi all,
A quantity of + plural noun / uncountable noun + plural verb / singular verb. Is it correct?
A quantity of these apples are imported from The US.
A quantity of oil has leaked into a large area of the beautiful beach.
What about “the quantity of”? The quantity of + uncountable noun + singular verb?
The quantity of oil leaking ino a large area of the beautiful beach is the consequence of a tanker collision.
JLTS
Sorry, it should have been verb not noun.
Unfortunately, this is a case where what seems natural is not right. “Quantity” will always be singular.
That would be an odd use of “quantity,” too. Unlike “a number,” which means “many,” “quantity” refers to numbers or amounts of any size, no matter how large or small. You would not likely say, “An amount of water spilled on the floor.” You’d either simply say water spilled or tell how much.
“A higher quantity of apples was imported this year.”
“The nation exported smaller quantities of oil”
Think of “quantity” like “the number of.” It’s literally about exact amounts or numbers. “A number of” means a significant portion, or “many.” It’s not like “quantity.”
Many students like to read.
A number of students like to read.
Odd: A quantity of students like to read.
“The number of” will ALWAYS go along with what numbers do because it’s about counting. It will double, triple, increase, drop, grow, fall, etc.
Noted with many thanks.
Would I say an amount of money has just been withdrawn from his bank account?
From your sentence: The nation exported smaller quantities of oil, would I say smaller quantities of oil have been imported recently or a smaller quanity of oil has been imported recently by the nation?
Do you mean “a quantity of + plural noun + plural verb” does not exist but a singular verb would be taken?
What about this sentence “The deadly chemical cyanide and a quantity of sewage have leaked into a 30-mile stretch of the River Trent in Staffordshire.”? . e subjects are chemical cyanide and sewage. Both are uncountable noun. Is it right?
JLTS
Again, it would be grammatical but odd.
Likely: Money has been withdrawn from the bank.
Likely: Twenty dollars has been withdrawn from the bank.
Likely: A small amount of money has been withdrawn from the bank.
Likely: A large amount of money has been withdrawn from the bank.
Likely: A moderate amount of money has been withdrawn from the bank.
Odd: An amount of money has been withdrawn from the bank.
“An amount” doesn’t add a thing to your example sentence by itself. We already know everything in the universe exists in amounts or numbers. Can money be withdrawn without it being an amount? Can water spill without in being an amount? There would almost never be a good reason to say the example sentence.
Consider rephrasing it to make it clear what’s going on here:
Money that can be counted was removed from your account.
Water that can be measured spilled.
People who can be counted attended the event.
It’s true of everything, but it’s so empty that it’s completely odd. It’s just extra words for the sake of extra words. And it implies there is such a thing as money that can’t conceivably be counted, which is absurd.
Shirts that can be worn were sold.
You wouldn’t say that unless you actually were discussing shirts that couldn’t be worn. The same applies here. Since we all know everything can be counted or measured, there’s no good reason simply to point out that it can be.
Either is correct.
[i]
“Quantity” takes a singular verb. Of course, if you have a compound subject, as in your last example, a plural verb is required. Treat quantity like any other singular noun.
Yes, cyanide and sewage are uncountable.
[/i]
Thanks anyway.
JLTS
Hi all,
Thank you very much for your reactions and explanation.
Noren
Hi there,
Thanks a lot to you for your feedback. I checked them in one of the reference books, and I reached the conclusion that both are correct.
The word number itself is plural, that is, it requires a plural verb, when it is used with the article “a” as in “A number of boxes were sent.”
And it is singular when it is used with the article “the” as in “The number of boxes is small.”
Could you review these examples?
(A number…)
- A number of men are here.
- A number of children are absent today.
(The number…)
- The number of workers in the industry has dropped.
- The number of children was waiting for you.
Thank you all once again.
Regards
Noren Lee
If you are still talking about your first post in this thread, then only one is correct.
The last example should be:
“A number of children were waiting for you.”
One more time.
“The number of (insert noun)” will always be used with a verb suited to what numbers do.
Therefore, “the number of (noun)” won’t wait, buy, sell, call, talk. It will increase, grow, fall, decline, drop, jump, climb, double, triple, quadruple, tumble, plunge, plummet, skyrocket, etc.
Unlike “a number of,” this one is more literal in its meaning.
Hi Noren,
“A number of” is an adjective phrase, meaning “many”. So, “A number of men” = many men, which will thus take a plural form verb.
“The number of…” is not a phrase but only indicates the number of… So, “The number of men” = the decimal number of men, e.g., The number of men coming to the party was ten.
Hope this helps.
Haihao
Hi there,
I am talking about the articles.
A NUMBER OF …
THE NUMBER OF …
Thanks
Noren