'The number of' vs. 'A number Of' Exercises and Difference

A number of = plural verb

We use 'A number of' in the same way we would say 'some' or 'many', therefore, we need to use a plural verb:

⚬ A number of people are very unhappy about rising taxes.

or

⚬ Many people are very unhappy about rising taxes.

____________________

⚬ A number of solutions are required to solve this problem.

or

⚬ Some/many solutions are required to solve this problem.

____________________

☕

'The number of' = Singular verb

When we say 'The number' we are refering to one number, therefore, we need a singular verb:

⚬ The number of car accidents in London rises every year.

⚬ The number of people who listen to CD's decreases with time.

Look at this example:

The number of students enrolled at Oxford University has risen over the given time period.

"The number of _________ "  is used to compare things.

Exercise Question 1

A number of countries _____  decided to invest more money in renewable energy.

The number of people who invest in bitcoin and other crypto currencies around the world  _____ all the time.

Overall, the graph shows the number of unemployed people in part-time education ________over the 30 year period.

I believe the number of people who are happy to recycle and do their best for environment ___ large.

In many countries, the number of people living in rented accommodation ____ higher every year which makes finding an affordable property very difficult.

A number of car manufacturers around the world ____ decided to focus on making electric vehicles instead of fossil fuel powered cars.

Although a number of people  _____ keeping fit, many others find it difficult to get motivated.

In conclusion, there will always be a number of scientists who ___ skeptical about climate change.

Vaping has become popular and the number of smokers around the world ______ to have decreased.

A number of small businesses ____  gone bankrupt because it is becoming more difficult to obtain loans from banks.

The number of small businesses that find it difficult to compete against multi-national companies __________ year by year.

The number of tourists who prefer to use budget airlines ____ every year.

Many individuals believe that a large number of violent crimes around the world ____ linked to video games and violent movies.

The number of people who watch streaming services _______  significantly increased over the last decade.

The number of people who move to big cities for work _____ every year.

At present, a large number of American car manufacturers ____ deciding weather to build more electric powered vehicles.

A small number of politicians ______ climate change is not a real threat or problem to our planet.

Whereas the number of people using contactless ways to pay for goods rises every year, a large number of people still ______ to use cash for their purchases.

While the number of crimes commited in Chicago _______, the overall crime rate throughout the state of Illinois has decreased.

For example, the number of people who vote in local elections significantly ________ year by year.