an equal numbers of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an equal numbers of" is not correct in English.
It should be "an equal number of." You can use "an equal number of" when referring to two or more groups that have the same quantity. Example: "The study included an equal number of participants from both genders."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

The 1-month NNT could not be calculated because of an equal numbers of responders in both groups.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Individual lines were also tested for their departure from population mean success with a null expectation of an equal numbers of wins to losses.

Plosone

Selections were performed by mixing equal molar concentrations of 1 kb, 2 kb, and 4 kb insert sized genomic libraries within the host strain P. aeruginosa PAO2003, allowing those mixtures to recover in non-selective conditions for 1 hour, and then spreading an equal numbers of cells onto plates containing increasing concentrations of gentamicin, tobramycin, or amikacin.

Plosone

Also, since both splits contain an equal numbers of samples, sample size 'bias' is absent.

BMC Genomics

Stations can also differ in difficulty, and examiners not examine an equal numbers of times on each station, so that examining more often on difficult stations might artefactually make an examiner appear to be more hawkish.

BMC Medical Education

Because in the new scoring scale negative scores are present, we included in the list of selected PIGs an equal numbers of highest positive and lowest negative scoring genes.

Bioinformatics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

An additional order for an equal number of C-130Js is under process.

BBC

"Almost an equal number of media people," he said.

The New York Times

There are an equal number of each type of monster.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

My classmates had an equal number of commitments.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Symmetrical nuclei have an equal number of protons and neutrons.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "an equal number of" instead of "an equal numbers of". Remember that "number" is singular when referring to a count, and it should agree with the article "an".

Common error

Avoid using the plural form "numbers" after "equal" in this context. "Number" should remain singular because you're referring to the quantity itself, not multiple instances of numbers.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an equal numbers of" functions as a determiner phrase intended to specify a quantity. However, it contains a grammatical error, as highlighted by Ludwig, because the noun "number" should be singular when used with the article "an".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

50%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an equal numbers of" is a grammatically incorrect construction. As Ludwig AI indicates, the correct form is "an equal number of". Although examples of the incorrect phrase can be found in various sources, including news and scientific articles, it's essential to use the grammatically correct alternative. The phrase is intended to express that different groups or sets have the same quantity. Therefore, always use "an equal number of" or alternatives like "the same number of" to ensure grammatical accuracy and clarity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an equal number of

This is the grammatically correct version of the original phrase.

the same number of

Replaces "equal" with "same" for emphasis on identical quantity.

equal quantities of

Substitutes "number" with "quantities" to highlight the amount.

an equivalent amount of

Uses "equivalent amount" instead of "equal number" focusing on the amount rather than count.

a matching quantity of

Emphasizes the correspondence between the amounts.

identical quantities of

Highlights that the quantities are exactly the same.

the same quantity for each

Focuses on providing an identical amount to each item/person.

each has the same number

Shifts the focus to individual elements possessing the same numerical value.

each has an equal share

Highlights that the sharing is equal between individuals.

an equivalent allocation of

Focuses on the allocation of something in equivalent amounts.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "an equal numbers of"?

The correct phrasing is "an equal number of". The word "number" should be singular in this context.

Can I use "same numbers of" instead of "an equal numbers of"?

No, the correct phrase is "the same number of". Using "same numbers of" is grammatically incorrect.

Is there a difference between "an equal number of" and "equal quantities of"?

While both convey the idea of equivalence, "an equal number of" is used for countable items, while "equal quantities of" is suitable for measurable amounts or substances.

When should I use "an equal number of" versus "the same number of"?

"An equal number of" and "the same number of" are largely interchangeable. The choice often depends on stylistic preference or the specific context. "The same number of" might emphasize that the quantities are identical to each other.