Slovíčka AMOUNT a NUMBER nám často robia problém. Od mnohých študentov som už neraz počul, že ich radšej nepoužívajú a nahrádzajú ich inými výrazmi, len aby sa tejto dvojici vyhli. My sa jej nebojíme a ukážeme si ako sa s touto dvojicou popasovať.

• A large amount of people are waiting for the bus.
• A large number of people are waiting for the bus.

• I have never had a big amount of money in my wallet.
• I have never had a large amount of money in my wallet. 

• I have never had a big number of friends.
• I have never had a large number of friends.

Vo význame veľké množstvo čoho používame LARGE pred AMOUNT, či NUMBER. Pozor, nikdy nie BIG, keďže BIG v tomto prípade s AMOUNT ani NUMBER nekolokuje.

Aký je teda rozdiel medzi AMOUNT OF a AMOUNTS OF? Zjednodušene si to môžeme vysvetliť takto:

• A large amount of money is needed if you want to set up a business.
• Large amounts of money are needed if you want to set up a business.

Za “THE (large, small) NUMBER OF” dávame sloveso v jednotnom čísle (is, was, has apod.). 

Za “A (large, small) NUMBER OF” dávame sloveso v množnom čísle (are, were, have apod.).

Zjednodušene:

• There are a number of important tips to improve your vocabulary in the book.
• Here is the number of candidates we wanted.

• The number of vehicles stuck in a traffic jam was two hundred.
• A number of mistakes have been made so far.