number of individuals

USAGE SUMMARY

"number of individuals" is an appropriate phrase for written English.
For example, "The number of individuals who experienced sudden hearing loss was 56."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A number of individuals have also amassed collections.

The New York Times

Consequently, the number of individuals now focusing on Iran has multiplied exponentially since 2006.

The Guardian - Opinion

The number of individuals seeking fertility treatment, either from the NHS or privately, is relatively small.

The Guardian - Opinion

There were any number of individuals who could not cope with another day of worry.

The New York Times

A growing number of individuals and organisations are questioning an economy based on limitless growth.

The Guardian

I also delivered open palm strikes to a number of individuals and fist strikes as well".

The Guardian

This suggests that a significant number of individuals were wrongly referred.

The Guardian - Opinion

The number of individuals living in workless households has risen to 4.4m, including 1.9m children.

The Guardian - Business

"What remains is a certain number of individuals prone to carrying them or hiding them.

The Guardian

Mr. Walsh said a "limited number of individuals" in the company had broken competition rules.

The New York Times

"This is an extremely complex case involving a number of individuals going back decades.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing formally, use "number of individuals" to maintain a professional and objective tone. In less formal contexts, consider using "number of people" for better readability.

Common error

Avoid using "number of individuals" in casual conversation or informal writing. Opt for simpler phrases like "number of people" or "how many people" to sound more natural.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "number of individuals" functions as a noun phrase, often used as the subject or object of a sentence. It quantifies a group of people in a formal or objective manner. Ludwig examples illustrate its widespread use in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

52%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "number of individuals" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase, especially in formal and scientific contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its appropriateness for written English. While it precisely quantifies groups of people, remember that "number of people" is often a better choice for informal settings. By understanding its function, purpose, and register, you can effectively incorporate it into your writing while avoiding common errors. Pay attention to the context. Remember that there are other valid alternatives such as "amount of people" or "quantity of persons".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the number of people

Slightly more conversational, replacing "individuals" with the more common "people".

amount of people

Replaces "individuals" with "people", making the phrase more informal.

total count of people

Emphasizes the act of counting the number of people involved.

quantity of persons

Uses more formal terms "quantity" and "persons", increasing the formality.

population size

Focuses on the overall size of a group rather than a specific count.

headcount

An informal way to describe counting people present in a specific location or event.

number of subjects

Suitable in contexts such as studies or experiments, where "subjects" are being referred to.

aggregate of persons

A more formal and less common way of referring to a group of people.

census figure

Specifically refers to the population count obtained from a census.

body count

Refers to the total number of deaths, often used in specific contexts like military or disaster reports.

FAQs

What is a more common way to say "number of individuals"?

A more common and less formal way to say "number of individuals" is "number of people".

When should I use "number of individuals" instead of "number of people"?

"Number of individuals" is best used in formal writing, research papers, or legal documents where precision and objectivity are required. "Number of people" is suitable for general, informal contexts.

Is "amount of individuals" grammatically correct?

No, "amount of individuals" is not grammatically correct. "Amount" is used for uncountable nouns, while "individuals" is countable. The correct phrase is "number of individuals".

What are some synonyms for "number of individuals" that could be used in scientific writing?

In scientific writing, you could use more specific terms depending on the context, such as "population size", "sample size", or "number of subjects".