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Lesson 34 – Statistics
First, let’s clarify the difference between “number” and “amount” – we use “number” with countable
nouns, and “amount” with uncountable nouns.
A
large number of people
A
massive amount of damage
A
significant number of countries
A
considerable amount of money
A
tiny number of computers
A
miniscule amount of alcohol
Numbers and statistics can
increase or
decrease (more formal),
rise or
fall (also formal) or
go up and
go
down (more informally). When a number goes up or down very fast, we can describe this as
sharp or
dramatic – for example, the sudden improvement in the economy has resulted in a
dramatic drop in
unemployment and a
sharp rise in consumer spending. When a number goes up or down slowly, then
we can talk about a
gradual increase in population or a
slow decline in the number of violent crimes.
And if a number doesn’t change, then it
remains steady or
remains constant.
We use the word “widespread” to describe something that is happening frequently in many places. For
example, there being
widespread dissatisfaction with the government, or a new book winning
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