a large number of items

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a large number of items" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a significant quantity of objects or products in various contexts, such as inventory, shopping, or data analysis. Example: "The warehouse is currently holding a large number of items that need to be sorted and organized."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The simple t-test has demonstrated that a large number of items show potential to differentiate.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

Our proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art benchmark algorithms, particularly when recommending a large number of items.

Decision Support Systems

A large number of items are described, and subsequently bought and sold every day in auction marketplaces across the web.

Expert Systems with Applications

But the Guardian has found a large number of items, clearly capable of doubling as weapons, advertised for sale on Amazon.co.uk.

The Guardian - Tech

But a sales associate at Bergdorf said this week that the staff was instructed to use discretion with customers looking to buy a large number of items.

The New York Times

This allowed a large number of items and collections to be included and organized, but it does mean that information available for each item was limited.

University of California, Berkeley

Selecting appropriate items from a list consisting of a large number of items provided by a product website can be difficult and time-consuming for the potential customers.

Information Sciences

Doing it in little pieces per transaction might then be akin to the "salami slicing" computer crime technique of stealing extremely small amounts from a large number of items.

The Guardian - Tech

Thus, the economics of making a large number of shipments must be weighed against the cost of accumulating goods in storage for a single shipment of a large number of items.

Britannica

However, when managing a large number of items, it is not feasible to optimize networks at item level, due to the effort required for tuning the parameters during the training stage.

International Journal of Production Economics

Worst pain was most highly correlated with shooting, stabbing, and distress symptom complex, which was in contrast to Average pain, which was most highly correlated with symptom complex consisting of a large number of items.

The Journal of Pain

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a large number of items", ensure the context clearly defines what constitutes a 'large' quantity. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "a large number of items" when a more specific quantity can be provided. For example, instead of saying "a large number of items were damaged", specify "more than 500 items were damaged" for greater impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a large number of items" functions as a determiner phrase, quantifying a noun. It modifies the noun "items" to indicate a considerable quantity. Ludwig confirms that the expression is usable and correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

17%

Academia

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a large number of items" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to indicate a substantial quantity of objects or products. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's appropriate for a wide range of contexts, particularly in scientific, academic, and news-related writing. While it provides a general sense of scale, using specific numbers when available enhances clarity. Consider alternatives like "a great number of items" or "many items" based on the desired emphasis. Remember to avoid overgeneralization and offer more precise data where applicable for improved communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a great number of items

Replaces "large" with "great", indicating a similar but slightly more emphatic quantity.

a significant number of items

Substitutes "large" with "significant", highlighting the importance or impact of the quantity.

a considerable number of items

Uses "considerable" instead of "large", suggesting a notable or substantial quantity.

a substantial number of items

Replaces "large" with "substantial", implying a significant amount in terms of size or value.

a high number of items

Uses "high" to describe the number of items, focusing on the elevated quantity.

numerous items

Replaces the entire phrase with a single adjective, "numerous", meaning many.

many items

Simplifies the phrase to a more basic expression of quantity.

a multitude of items

Replaces "large number" with "multitude", suggesting a very large and often uncountable quantity.

a vast quantity of items

Focuses on the "quantity" aspect and modifies it with "vast", emphasizing the immensity.

plenty of items

Indicates that there is more than enough items.

FAQs

How can I use "a large number of items" in a sentence?

You can use "a large number of items" to describe a significant quantity of objects, products, or entries. For example, "A large number of items are available for purchase on the website."

What are some alternatives to "a large number of items"?

Alternatives include phrases like "a great number of items", "a significant number of items", or simply "many items", depending on the desired level of formality and emphasis.

Is it ever better to use a specific number instead of "a large number of items"?

Yes, whenever possible, using a specific number provides more precise information and enhances clarity. For instance, saying "500 items" is more informative than "a large number of items".

When is it appropriate to use "a large number of items" instead of "much" or "many"?

"A large number of items" is suitable when you want to emphasize the substantial quantity without being overly specific. "Many" is a simpler alternative, while "much" is used for uncountable nouns. "A large number of items" is specifically for countable objects.