amounts

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "amounts" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to quantities or sums of something, often in a financial or numerical context. Example: "The total amounts owed by the clients exceeded our expectations this quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The amounts would need to be proportionate – we mustn't penalise legitimate visa applicants who will struggle to get hold of the money.

The Guardian

In many African countries, those at risk often have to spend huge amounts of money and travel hundreds of miles to reach heart specialists concentrated in main urban centres.

The Guardian

Despite the Brooklyn DA's office having decriminalized marijuana possession in small amounts in 2014, cops still arrest pot smokers on these blocks.

The Guardian

We've never had huge amounts of wealth in the background to make things happen quickly".

The Guardian

For patients who are sectioned the low staffing levels are presenting another problem, which I believe amounts to an institutional neglect.

The Guardian

Investigators have copious amounts of evidence provided by Ajmal Kasab, the sole survivor of the attack team, and David Headley, a Pakistani-American extremist who conducted surveillance operations on the Taj Mahal Palace hotel and other targets in Mumbai.

The Guardian

British delight at having scooped the Americans was matched by the NSA's desire to get its hands on the project; an internal US guide to using the system, which became fully functional in 2011, described it as "an exciting opportunity to get direct access to enormous amounts of GCHQ's special source data".

The Guardian

When this stuff decays or goes up in smoke, it releases vast amounts of heat-trapping carbon into the atmosphere.

The Guardian

The Abbot Point development has been green-lit to funnel vast amounts of coal out of Australia.

The Guardian

These included one about significant amounts of funding that are being transferred to reserves.

The Guardian

Cable believes the coalition, after some false starts, has landed on a defensible policy that amounts to a graduate contribution based on the ability to pay.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "amounts" when referring to quantifiable or measurable quantities. It works well with both concrete objects (e.g., "amounts of water") and abstract concepts (e.g., "amounts of effort").

Common error

Avoid using "amount" with countable nouns. "Amount" is for non-countable nouns (e.g., "the amount of water") while "number" is for countable nouns (e.g., "the number of students").

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "amounts" is as a plural noun, referring to multiple quantities or sums. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's frequently used to describe quantities, especially in financial contexts. Examples include "huge amounts of wealth" and "copious amounts of evidence".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "amounts" functions primarily as a plural noun, denoting multiple quantities or sums and it's grammatically correct. As indicated by Ludwig AI, it's a versatile term used across various contexts, particularly in news, business, and scientific domains. Its frequent occurrence in authoritative sources like The Guardian highlights its widespread acceptance and utility in both formal and informal communication. When using "amounts", it is important to consider whether you need to use "number" instead.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

quantities

Focuses more on the numerical aspect, emphasizing the count of something.

sums

Implies a total or aggregate, often in a financial context.

totals

Refers to the complete number or amount.

figures

Emphasizes numerical data or statistics.

portions

Refers to specific parts or shares of a whole.

degrees

Indicates a level or extent.

extents

Highlights the range or scope of something.

measures

Suggests a standard unit used for quantifying something.

volumes

Indicates the amount of space something occupies.

levels

Refers to a specific point on a scale or range.

FAQs

How to use "amounts" in a sentence?

"Amounts" is the plural form of "amount" and is used to refer to multiple quantities or sums. For example, "The company spent large amounts of money on advertising."

What can I say instead of "amounts"?

You can use alternatives like "quantities", "sums", or "totals" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "amount" or "amounts"?

Use "amount" for singular, uncountable nouns (e.g., "the amount of sugar"). Use "amounts" for plural, uncountable nouns or when referring to multiple amounts (e.g., "small amounts of sugar", "the amounts varied").

What's the difference between "amounts" and "numbers"?

"Amounts" refers to a quantity of something that cannot be easily counted as individual units (e.g., "amounts of data"). "Numbers" refers to a count of individual, countable items (e.g., "numbers of errors").