TRI DUC ENGLISH ✦ ACADEMIC EDGE UNIT 7 EDITION Key Quantifying Expressions Number and amount · Comparisons · Formality — Precision in academic data description 📊 A & B. Number, Amount, and Nouns relating to quantity Quantifying expressions are important in academic English as it is often necessary to comment on figures or trends. Learners of English often choose the wrong noun relating to quantity. For example, you say a great (not large) deal (informal) or a large/great amount of an uncountable noun such as money, interest or influence. However, you say a large number of a plural noun such as articles, books or words. Both a number and an amount can be described as small, considerable, substantial, significant, enormous, total, surprising, excessive [too much/many], fair [quite a lot] and reasonable [acceptable]. Example in context: The size of our survey was relatively small-scale. We sent out 2,500 questionnaires in total (in all) . Although a couple (two or three, a few) of people did not respond, the bulk (the majority) of those sent questionnaires have completed them. The survey shows that, as a whole (considered as a group rather than individually) , the population is becoming more aware of the importance of recycling. Only one of our respondents (notice how respondents is in the plural; it is a common error to write a singular noun after one of) said that he recycled less than he used to. ⚖️ C. Comparing numbers and quantities Expression Example Comment exceeding Results exceeding 5 cm were eliminated from the survey. (formal) means higher than in excess of People who drive in excess of the speed limit will be fined. means over, used mainly in official or legal writing fewer and fewer / less and less Fewer and fewer people are staying in the same job throughout their lives. Young people are becoming less and less interested in politics. a steadily declining/decreasing number of, decreasingly more and more There is more and more interest in the topic. People are becoming more and more aware of the environment. a steadily increasing amount of ...