amount or number?
Amount is normally used with singular words that have no plural, that is, so-called uncountable or mass nouns like coal, happiness, and warfare: a large amount of coal;any amount of happiness. In contrast, number is used with plural nouns such as books, questions, ships, and cheeses (= types of cheese): a large number of books;an excessive number of questions;a goodly number of cheeses. In everyday speech, amount is sometimes used when number is strictly called for: a large amount of books. Avoid this usage in formal speaking and writing. See number.
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