a number of student

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a number of student" is not correct in English.
It should be "a number of students." You can use the corrected phrase when referring to multiple students in a general context. Example: "A number of students participated in the science fair this year."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

University strike and riots that led to a number of student deaths.

The Guardian

She worked in a number of student affairs roles including student conduct and new student orientation.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Meeting Space: A number of student programs use the Student Resource Center as a meeting place.

University of California, Berkeley

While attending Ohio State, I helped start a number of student organizations, including the student alumni council, which still exists.

The New York Times

Each year the chapel team also includes a number of student chapel ministers, musicians, and choir directors.

Yale University

True, there are a number of student ideas that find life beyond the walls of a classroom.

Harvard University

As Alex Seitz-Waldetaileded in a report for NBC News, a number of student organizations decided at a meeting last Monday to organize a protest.

The New Yorker

Since October, the higher education sector has co-ordinated national pay strikes by all three major trade unions, widespread picketing and a number of student occupations.

The Guardian - Opinion

While there she was an active member of a number of student groups including the Rainbow Club, which focused on LGBT issues.

The Guardian

In this research, GAME has been tested on a number of student programming exercises and assignments and its performance has been compared against that of a human marker.

Computers & Education

While data collected from an online questionnaire survey and focus group interviews generally support the value of OAF for reflective writing, a number of student concerns were noted.

The Internet and Higher Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the plural form "students" after "a number of". For example, say "a number of students participated" instead of "a number of student participated."

Common error

Avoid the common mistake of using the singular "student" after "a number of". This phrase requires a plural noun to be grammatically correct.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a number of student" functions as a determiner phrase, attempting to quantify a group of students. However, it's grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI explains, the correct form is "a number of students".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Academia

43%

News & Media

43%

Science

9%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a number of student" appears frequently across various sources, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "a number of students", as it requires the plural noun "students". As Ludwig AI clearly indicates, using the singular form "student" is a common error. To avoid this, always ensure the noun following "a number of" is plural. Some alternative phrases, depending on the context, include "several students", "many students", or "numerous students". Although widely found, especially in academic and news contexts, remember to use the grammatically correct "a number of students" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a number of students

Corrects the grammatical error by using the plural form of "student".

several students

Replaces "a number of" with a synonym indicating more than two, but not a large amount.

many students

Uses a more general term to indicate a large quantity of students.

a few students

Indicates a small quantity of students.

numerous students

A more formal way to say "many students".

a significant number of students

Emphasizes that the quantity of students is noteworthy.

a large number of students

Highlights that the group of students is substantial.

various students

Implies that the students are diverse or distinct.

some students

A less specific way to refer to an unspecified quantity of students.

certain students

Refers to particular, but unspecified, students.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use the phrase "a number of" when referring to students?

The grammatically correct phrase is "a number of students", using the plural form. The phrase indicates that there are multiple students, so the noun must be plural.

Is "a number of student" ever correct?

No, "a number of student" is grammatically incorrect. Always use the plural form "students" after "a number of". Try "a number of students" instead.

What are some alternatives to saying "a number of students"?

You can use alternatives like "several students", "many students", or "numerous students" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "a number of student" and "a number of students"?

"A number of student" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "a number of students", where "students" is plural, indicating multiple individuals. Always use "a number of students".