there were a quantity of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "there were a quantity of" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used to describe a large number or amount of something, but the phrase is awkward and not commonly used. Example: "There were a quantity of people at the event, making it quite crowded."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

There were a quantity of positive ions in solution because of the protonation of nitrogen in water.

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

There was a quantity of things that men hated.

The New Yorker

It's almost as if there's a quantity theory of exercise: the more medals Team GB wins, the fatter and lazier everyone else becomes.

The Guardian

First of all, there will be a quantity of fuel allocated for each race.

The New York Times - Sports

In geography there is a large quantity of fiat objects, that are elements whose boundaries are the result of a cognitive process without real discontinuities.

City, Territory and Architecture

"The mayor supports a lot of organizations," he said, "and it's a finite universe, so there is a limited quantity" of groups that can receive the awards.

The New York Times

There were a greater quantity of hAMSCs-H per visual field near tumor than hAMSCs-N (P=0.0003).

Cell Death and Disease

An alternative option would be that HPV processing was conducted on a daily basis to further improve turn-around times; however, this would only be economically efficient if there were a sufficient quantity of tests.

British Journal of Cancer

"Therefore I accept that there will always be a quantity of drugs coming in and that most times, a sufficient quantity of drugs in order to fill the market".

BBC

There were an excessive quantity of apoptotic bodies, higher number of annexin V+/PI- cells, and reduced clearance of follicular apoptotic cells in the course of schistosomiasis.

Plosone

We believe the tipping-point is related to the point at which there is a large quantity of instances of a size greater than 50% of the maximum server size.

Journal of Cloud Computing: Advances, Systems and Applications

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Replace the phrase "there were a quantity of" with more common and grammatically sound alternatives such as "there were several", "there was a large number of", or "many" to improve clarity and conciseness.

Common error

Avoid using unnecessarily complex phrasing like "there were a quantity of". Opt for simpler and more direct language to prevent awkwardness and improve readability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "there were a quantity of" functions as an existential quantifier, indicating the presence of something in a certain amount. However, as Ludwig AI points out, this phrasing is considered awkward and grammatically questionable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

67%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while "there were a quantity of" aims to express the existence of something in a specific amount, Ludwig AI indicates that it's grammatically questionable and stylistically awkward. It's best to opt for clearer, more concise alternatives like "there were several", "there was a large number of", or simpler terms like "many". Although it appears in various contexts, including science and news, its infrequent usage suggests it's not a preferred phrasing. Using more direct language will enhance clarity and improve the overall quality of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there were several

Replaces the awkward "a quantity of" with a simple indicator of more than two.

there was a large number of

More direct way to express that many of something existed.

there existed a considerable amount of

Uses 'existed' to highlight presence and 'considerable' to imply substantiality.

a significant number of

Implies that the amount is noteworthy or important.

there were numerous

Uses 'numerous' to indicate a large, unspecified count.

there were a multitude of

Highlights that the amount is large and varied.

a great deal of

Emphasizes the substantial size or extent.

there were plenty of

Suggests the amount was more than sufficient.

there was an abundance of

Indicates a very large and plentiful supply.

many existed

Concise way to state that multiple instances were present.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "there were a quantity of"?

You can use alternatives like "there were several", "there was a large number of", or "many" depending on the context.

Is "there were a quantity of" grammatically correct?

While not strictly incorrect, "there were a quantity of" is considered awkward and uncommon in modern English. It's better to use more natural and precise alternatives.

How can I improve the clarity of my writing when describing amounts?

Choose specific and descriptive words like "numerous", "abundant", or "several" instead of vague phrases to provide a clearer picture of the quantity you're describing.

What's the difference between "there were a quantity of" and "there were a number of"?

"There were a number of" is generally preferred over "there were a quantity of" because it's more commonly used and sounds more natural. However, even "there were a number of" can often be replaced with simpler options like "several" or "many".