The Wrong Word Entirely, # 52

We have to ask — not for the first time — why the BBC’s journalists are not required to study its grammar advice pages:

Source: BBC News, tablet edition

Dr Faustus, who submitted this mangle, knows that amount is the correct term for uncountable nouns, while number relates to countable nouns; but so does at least one person at the BBC, since the topic is addressed on its ‘Learning English’ pages… at least twice. (It’s notable that ‘Learning English’ is aimed at adults whose native language is not English, and that the number-versus-amount issue seems not to be mentioned in the ‘Bitesize’ pages targeted at British school-age learners.)

Elsewhere, schoolchildren are the intended audience. Imagine how cross Dr Faustus became when he came upon this:

Link: Fact Monster Homework Center, ‘Sentence Agreement’

As he comments with no little asperity (and accuracy): ‘Surely the whole point is that number ISN’T the same as amount?!’ Fact Monster identifies itself as part of Family Education Network, and this page is clearly aimed at children. A note at the bottom of the page states that the content is ‘[e]xcerpted from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Grammar and Style © 2003 by Laurie E. Rozakis, Ph.D.’ (the second edition, research reveals). One to avoid, perhaps.

amount & number confusion