Commonly Confused Words: Number/Amount

Commonly Confused Words: Number/Amount

Number

• Use number to refer to things that you CAN count. 

• Example: A large number of plastic flamingos are on the lawn.

• Example: Olivia tripped over a number of toys on her way to her little brother’s bed. 

Amount

• Use amount to refer to a quantity—something that you CANNOT count.

• Example: While baking cookies, Sebastian spilled a significant amount of flour on the floor. 

• Example: No amount of scrubbing will remove the doodle that Tracy drew on the desk. 

Multiple Choice

There are a surprising ______ of bananas grown all over the world. Can you believe that there are over 1,000 varieties of bananas grown in over 150 countries? Cavendish bananas are the most commercialized varieties.

• number

• amount

Multiple Choice

Bananas contain a significant ______ of potassium, which helps balance the fluids in your body.

• number

• amount

Multiple Choice

A large ______ of the banana trade originates in Uganda.

• number

• amount

Multiple Choice

The ______ of bananas consumed worldwide each year totals more than 100 billion.

• number

• amount