"a number of" is a commonly used English phrase that means "many". In English, we usually use this phrase to describe the plural form of a countable noun, which is a countable noun. This is because "a number of" emphasizes quantity, and countable nouns are precisely things that can be counted.
For example, "a number of apples" and "a number of books" are correct usages because "apples" and "books" are countable nouns. But uncountable nouns like "water" or "bread" can't be modified with "a number of" because they are uncountable and can't be counted.
Therefore, the conclusion is that "a number of" is usually followed by a countable noun. If you want to express "lots of water" or "lots of bread", you should use other phrases like "a lot of" or "much".
In addition to countable nouns, we can also use "a number of" to modify a collective noun that consists of countable nouns, such as "people" or "families". In these cases, "a number of" can also modify the singular form of a collective noun. For example, "a number of people are gathered in the park."
Also, "a number of" is different from "the number of", which is often used to indicate a specific number or proportion. For example, "the number of books in the library is 10,000".
In conclusion, "a number of" is often used to modify the plural form of a countable noun or a collective noun, emphasizing quantity. When we need to describe an uncountable noun, other phrases should be used.
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