a certain number of vs a number of

Both "a certain number of" and "a number of" are correct phrases, but they are used in slightly different contexts. "A certain number of" is used when you want to emphasize a specific or particular quantity, while "a number of" is used more generally to indicate an unspecified quantity.

Last updated: March 19, 2024 • 3183 views

a certain number of

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Use "a certain number of" when you want to emphasize a specific or particular quantity of something.

Examples:

I need a certain number of volunteers for the event.
There are a certain number of rules that must be followed.
She has a certain number of books on her shelf.

Show examples from the web [+]

a certain number of people/years → un cierto número de personas/años a certain person told me that → cierta persona me dijo que ... she has a certain ...
物がいくつかに区切れる - EDR日英対訳辞書. to eat a certain number. いくつと数を限って食う - 斎藤和英大辞典. to be sat by a certain number of people. 〜の人数で ...
SOLUTION: A certain number of matches are needed to fill 24 boxes, with each box containing the same number of matches. When 4 less matches are put into ...
a certain number of books. in the library of CRAE, the Centre de Recherche en Arts & Esthétique at the Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France, June ...

Alternatives:

a specific number of
an exact number of
a particular number of

a number of

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Use "a number of" when you want to refer to an unspecified quantity of something.

Examples:

A number of students attended the lecture.
There are a number of reasons for the delay.
She has a number of friends in the city.

Show examples from the web [+]

A collection of persons or things; several. For example, A number of tours are available, or We've visited a number of times. This idiom often is modified by an ...
Mar 1, 2012 ... The subject of these sentences is 'students', and 'some', 'several', 'a number of' are modifiers of 'students'. The verb agrees with the subject.
A number of students (=more than a few, but not many) have part-time jobs. We' ve met on a ... Quite a number of paintings (=many paintings) have been sold.
Determiner. Several. A number of people have commented on it. There are a number of problems with the log-in system. Several of. I spoke with a number of ...

Alternatives:

several
many
a few

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a certain number of vs a number of