Mixing up amount and number is one of the most frequent grammar slip-ups in the English language. It happens to native speakers and learners alike. You might hear someone say “a huge amount of people,” but is that actually correct? In short: usually not. The difference comes down to whether you can count the item in question or if it is just a shapeless mass.
The Golden Rule
Use number for things you can count (individual items like cars, birds, or mistakes). Use amount for things you measure (bulk mass like water, sand, or courage).
Quick Check: Can you put a number in front of it (one, two, three)? If yes, use number.
Table of Contents
Countable vs Uncountable Nouns
To pick the right word, you have to look at the noun you are describing. In English grammar, nouns fall into two main buckets: Countable and Uncountable (often called mass nouns).
Think of it like this: If you can separate the items and count them individually with your finger, they are countable. If the item is a liquid, a gas, or an abstract concept that you can’t separate into pieces, it is uncountable. Your choice of amount or number depends entirely on this distinction.
Countable (Use Number)
- Dogs
- Computers
- Tickets
- Reasons
Uncountable (Use Amount)
- Water
- Happiness
- Information
- Sand
When to Use “Number”
Always reach for number when you are referring to things that can be counted individually. It doesn’t matter if the number is huge (like stars in the sky) or small (like apples in a bowl). If it can be counted as “one, two, three,” it requires “number.”
Grammar experts agree that using “amount” for countable nouns creates an awkward, incorrect sentence structure.Source-1✅
Why? Because you can count birds. You can say “there are five birds.” You cannot say “there is five amount of birds.”
When to Use “Amount”
Use amount when you are talking about a mass, a volume, or something that cannot be separated into individual units. These are often things you measure in degrees, liters, or intensity rather than by counting.
Pro Tip: If the noun is singular but represents a quantity (like “noise” or “traffic”), stick with amount.
The “People” Trap
This is where 90% of mistakes happen. You will often see headlines or hear speeches mentioning “a massive amount of people.” However, people are individual human beings. We are countable.
Therefore, you should virtually always use number of people, not amount of people. While “amount of people” has become common in very casual speech, it is still considered incorrect in standard English writing.
Correct The number of students in the class increased.
Incorrect The amount of students in the class increased.
Quick Comparison Table
Here is a breakdown of common phrases so you can see the pattern clearly.
| Phrase | Correct Usage | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| … of mistakes | Number of mistakes | You can count mistakes (1, 2, 3). |
| … of courage | Amount of courage | Abstract concept; cannot be counted. |
| … of volunteers | Number of volunteers | People are countable items. |
| … of water | Amount of water | Liquid volume, not individual items. |
| … of plastic bottles | Number of plastic bottles | Specific, countable objects. |
| … of plastic waste | Amount of plastic waste | “Waste” is a mass noun here. |
Exceptions: Money, Time, and Distance
English loves exceptions. Sometimes, we treat countable nouns as a single unit or “mass.” This happens most often with money, time, and weight. In these cases, we view the total sum as one lump amount, rather than counting the individual units.Source-2✅
Money
If you are talking about the total value, use amount.
- Correct: The amount of money ($500) was stolen. (Viewing it as a total value).
- Correct: The number of dollar bills in his wallet was small. (Counting the physical paper notes).
Time
Similar to money, time is usually viewed as a continuum.
- Correct: The amount of time we spent on this was crazy.
- Correct: The number of hours we worked was 40. (Hours are countable units).
FAQ
Is it “amount of people” or “number of people”?
It is strictly number of people. Since “people” can be counted (1 person, 2 people), it is a countable noun. “Amount of people” is a very common mistake, but grammatically incorrect in standard English.
Can I use “quantity” instead of amount or number?
“Quantity” is a safe middle ground that works for both countable and uncountable nouns, though it sounds much more formal. For example, “a large quantity of boxes” and “a large quantity of water” are both acceptable, but they sound scientific or industrial.
Why do we say “amount of money” if dollars are countable?
This is an exception. We typically view money as a collective sum (wealth/value) rather than individual physical coins or notes. Therefore, “amount of money” is correct, but “number of coins” is also correct.