Count (number) and Noncount (amount) Nouns
Some nouns can be counted: examples, for example
1, 2, 3, 4 examples? YES
A number of examples
Some nouns cannot be counted: evidence, for example
1, 2, 3, 4, evidences? NO
The amount of evidence
Just as you would never say 3 evidences, you should also never say: The amount of examples I offer in my essays.
Since they can be counted, those examples are referred to as the number of examples you include in your essays.
On the other hand, no matter how many pieces of evidence you bring to your essay, you would never refer to the number of evidences. The pieces can be counted, but evidence cannot, so we refer to the amount of evidence.
| COUNT—THE NUMBER | NONCOUNT—THE AMOUNT |
| The number of votes cast (2,345 votes, more than last time) |
The amount of voting that was done (a lot, even more than last time) |
| The number of tax jurisdictions (5 of them, fewer than in New Jersey) |
The amount of tax we pay (a good bit, but less than in New Jersey) |
| The number of dollars spent ($345,000, more than in 2012) |
A huge amount of money (an enormous amount, more than in 2012) |
| A number of olive oils (45 types, fewer than at Trader Joe’s) |
The amount of olive oil (gallons of it, but less than at Trader Joe’s) |
Exercise
In a Reply below, cut-and-paste the following paragraph and correct the count/noncount errors.
A large amount of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while less votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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Newspaperlessness 
A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while less votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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You haven’t figured out when to use FEWER, Gimme.
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A Large amount of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while less votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but Less than in 2012.
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You haven’t figured out when to use FEWER, Ahn.
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A large Number of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while Fewer votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but Fewer than in 2012.
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Nice!
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large number NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A larger NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were first time voters. in facts, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year but FEWER that in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, new voters went to the polls MORE than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In face, more new voters went to the poles than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular votes. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large number of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while less votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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You haven’t figured out when to use FEWER, Wordsmith.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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Missed one.
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A large number of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while fewer votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but fewer than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large number of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while less votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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You haven’t figured out when to use FEWER, Sleepy.
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The amount of voting that was done were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voting was done at the polls than ever, while less voting was cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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This is a confusing response, Comp.
—”amount of voting” is a good choice, but it doesn’t fit with the rest of the sentence. A correct sentence would be: “The AMOUNT of voting that was done for the new tax on vape products, MUCH of which WAS from first-time voters, WAS impressive.”
You’d have to revise the second sentence too:
—”In fact, MORE new voting WAS DONE at the polls than ever, while less voting was DONE by regular voters.
And in the last sentence, you left a word uncorrected:
—”We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.”
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large amount of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more than 5,000 people went to the polls than ever, while less votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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Needs work, Hershey. You missed all three.
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The Number of votes that were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, the Number of new voters went to the polls than ever, while less votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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This is a confusing answer, Bane.
—The Number of votes that were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters.
You’ve created a fragment here. One possible correction that could use “number of votes” would be: “A NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters.
—In fact, the Number of new voters went to the polls than ever, while less votes were cast by regular voters.
You’d have to rephrase this sentence too, for example: “In fact, AN IMPRESSIVE NUMBER of new voters went to to polls, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters.”
—We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
This one you just missed: “We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.”
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large number of votes were cast for the new tax jurisdiction on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while a smile number of votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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* a SMALL number. 🙂
* but FEWER than in 2012.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while less votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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You haven’t figured out when to use FEWER, Athena.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact more new voters went to polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular votes. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than 2012.
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Yep.
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A large number of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while less votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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You haven’t figured out when to use FEWER, Lele.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, A NUMBER OF new voters went to the polls than ever BEFORE, while less votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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—I like “A NUMBER OF new voters” as a concept, but in this sentence it needs a comparative to be logical, so how about: “In fact, A LARGER NUMBER OF new voters went to the polls than ever BEFORE”?
—And then you need two FEWERs in: while less votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but less than in 2012.
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A large NUMBER of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while FEWER votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but FEWER than in 2012.
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Yep.
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A large Number of votes were cast for the new tax on vape products, many of which were from first-time voters. In fact, more new voters went to the polls than ever, while Fewer votes were cast by regular voters. We gave donuts to new voters; more than last year, but Fewer than in 2012.
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Yep.
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