how many that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "how many that" is not correct and usable in written English.
It seems to be an incomplete or incorrect construction and does not convey a clear meaning. Example: "I need to know how many that are available for the event."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

The lamps will be produced to order; all bets are off on how many that will be.

The New York Times

Since she says LearnVest's planners operate more efficiently, she expects they will be able to handle "a good amount" over that range, although she can't yet say just how many that might be.

The New York Times

The two craft collided and the result was hundreds of pieces of shrapnel more than 10cm across, and thus large enough to track by radar and goodness knows how many that were not.

The Economist

Cook was pretty closed-mouthed about details, saying that it was likely the company would expand beyond the 2000 employees it currently has, but just how many that would involve in the coming year or so and how it would be distributed among various departments and offices, he wasn't willing to say.

TechCrunch

Starbucks plans to replace several of its current locations with these new eco-conscious models, although it's unclear how many that will be.

Huffington Post

"How many?" "That depends".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

How many people that does that visa fee alone disenfranchise?

Huffington Post

For each link, SmartLink stores an integer value that represents how many times that link has occurred in the workflows.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

"We've been told that for how many years, that this isn't the right time.

The New York Times

It did not say how many times that had occurred.

The New York Times

Do you know how many kids that would help?

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a specific group or category, replace "that" with "of those" or a more specific noun to improve clarity and grammatical correctness. For example, use "how many of those" or "how many books" instead of "how many that".

Common error

Avoid using "that" vaguely. Ensure "that" has a clear antecedent. If you're referring to a specific set of items, specify it directly, e.g., "how many of the selected items" instead of relying on context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "how many that" functions as part of an interrogative clause, attempting to inquire about a quantity. However, it is often grammatically incomplete or incorrect. Ludwig AI shows that proper usage requires a clearer reference to the items being counted.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "how many that" is a grammatically questionable phrase that aims to inquire about a quantity but lacks precision. Ludwig AI analysis suggests it is best replaced with more specific and grammatically sound alternatives like "how many of those" or "how many [specific items]". Its usage is rare and primarily found in informal contexts or news media, where clarity might sometimes be sacrificed for brevity. When writing professionally or academically, it is advisable to avoid this construction in favor of more explicit phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

how many of those

Replaces "that" with "of those" to specify a subset of items.

how many items

Uses a more general term "items" instead of the more ambiguous "that".

what quantity is that

Rephrases to focus on the quantity being referred to, using a more formal tone.

what number is that

Similar to the above, but uses "number" instead of "quantity".

how many does that include

Focuses on whether a previous count includes a specific item.

what is the count for that

Asks for the total number related to something previously mentioned.

how many units are there

Specifies "units" as the thing being counted for more clarity.

what amount are we talking about

Generalizes to the concept of "amount" to include non-countable items.

how many are we considering

Highlights the act of considering or including items in a count.

what's the figure for those

Uses "figure" to refer to the numerical value and specifies "those" for clarity.

FAQs

How can I properly ask about the quantity of something?

Instead of saying "how many that", which is grammatically awkward, use phrases like "how many of those" or specify the item you're counting, such as "how many books".

What's a more formal way to inquire about a number?

Instead of the informal phrasing of "how many that", consider using more formal options such as "what is the quantity of those" or "what is the number of items being considered?"

Is "how many that" grammatically correct?

No, "how many that" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. A more appropriate phrasing would be "how many of those" or specifying the noun, like "how many people".

When can I use "that" after "how many"?

Using "that" directly after "how many" is usually incorrect. It's better to specify what you're counting or use "of those" to refer to something previously mentioned. For example: "How many books are there?" or "How many of those are new?".