a number of hardware

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a number of hardware" is not correct in standard English usage.
The correct expression should be "a number of pieces of hardware" or simply "hardware" when referring to multiple items collectively. Example: "We need to purchase a number of pieces of hardware to complete the project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

31 human-written examples

It comes as RIM, which long had the market nearly to itself, now faces competition from a number of hardware makers and software vendors.

The New York Times

As a result, following the accident many changes in operator training and in technical and inspectorate staffing were implemented, just as a number of hardware enhancements were introduced.

Encyclopedia Britannica

An LLVM compilation framework was researched and a prototype developed to enable the execution of OpenCL applications on a number of hardware configurations of the LE1 CMP.

Journal of Systems Architecture

The platform consists of two MicroBlaze RISC processors and a number of hardware co-processors used for the processing of packet payloads (Data Encryption Standard DESS) and Lempel Ziv Compression).

Microelectronics Journal

Liam Casey, founder and chief executive of PCH International, said the ease of making hardware prototypes had contributed to the rise of a new genre of financing with Kickstarter, a Web site that has raised impressive sums for a number of hardware start-ups.

The New York Times

Important applications, such as detection of lightning-caused forest fires, power line fault location and aviation safety procedures, have triggered a number of hardware and software upgrades for improvement of the network performance characteristics, including its detection efficiency and location accuracy.

Electric Power Systems Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

29 human-written examples

In case you're not aware of it, there are available for almost every game console or handheld a number of hardware-based hacks that allow one to play pirated games and/or homebrew applications.

TechCrunch

There are a number of hardware-centric groups, for example, that include a Japanese group that built a robotic teddy bear that is remote-controlled by a Kinect and a nail polish printer, for example, that was developed by a group of female students from Bahrain.

TechCrunch

Startup accelerators are also increasingly getting in on the connected hardware action, with a number of dedicated hardware hothouses cropping up, such as recent entrant High Tech XL in the Netherlands (in the midst of accepting applications for its first cohort).

TechCrunch

The results given in this paper demonstrate that new approach improves on a number of existing hardware genetic algorithm implementations in terms of the quality of the solution produced, the calculation time and the hardware component requirements.

Neurocomputing

The Player offers a number of undeniable hardware features that trump the Touch.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to multiple pieces of hardware, use "hardware" as an uncountable noun without "a number of". For instance, say "The system includes advanced hardware" instead of "a number of hardware".

Common error

Avoid using "a number of" directly before uncountable nouns like "hardware". Instead, use "a number of pieces of hardware" or rephrase the sentence to use the noun correctly, as in "The project requires various hardware components".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a number of hardware" functions as a noun phrase, intended to specify a quantity of hardware items. However, Ludwig AI points out it's grammatically incorrect due to the mismatch between the quantifier "a number of" and the uncountable noun "hardware".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a number of hardware" appears with relative frequency across news, media, and scientific sources as seen on Ludwig, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI highlights, "hardware" is an uncountable noun and should not directly follow "a number of". To correct this, consider using "a number of pieces of hardware" or rephrasing to use alternatives such as "several hardware components" or "multiple hardware devices". The key takeaway is to ensure grammatical accuracy when referring to hardware quantities to maintain clarity and professionalism in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Many pieces of hardware

Uses "many" and specifies "pieces" to make the phrase grammatically correct.

Several hardware components

Replaces "a number of" with "several" and specifies "components" for clarity.

Multiple hardware devices

Uses "multiple" instead of "a number of" and "devices" as a general term.

Various hardware systems

Employs "various" for variety and "systems" to imply complexity.

Numerous hardware items

Substitutes "a number of" with "numerous" and specifies "items".

A range of hardware

Indicates a spectrum or variety using "a range of".

A multitude of hardware

Indicates a large quantity with "a multitude of".

Diverse hardware configurations

Highlights variety in setup or arrangement.

A collection of hardware

Implies a grouping or set of hardware elements.

Several hardware implementations

Focuses on instances of hardware application using "implementations".

FAQs

How can I correctly use the term "hardware" when referring to multiple items?

Since "hardware" is an uncountable noun, avoid using "a number of hardware". Instead, use phrases like "several pieces of hardware" or simply refer to it as "hardware" without the preceding "a number of".

What are some alternatives to "a number of hardware"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases such as "several hardware components", "multiple hardware devices", or "various hardware systems".

Is it grammatically correct to say "a number of hardware"?

No, it is not grammatically correct. "Hardware" is an uncountable noun, so you should use a phrase like "a number of pieces of hardware" to be grammatically correct.

Which is the correct way to refer to a quantity of computer hardware?

Instead of "a number of hardware", use "several pieces of hardware", "multiple hardware units", or simply "hardware".