a number of意為“許多”、“大量”，后跟可數(shù)名詞復(fù)數(shù)形式。另外經(jīng)常與the number of進(jìn)行辨析。the number of意為“……的數(shù)量”。

1.a number of的用法

（1）The research begs a number of questions.

研究繞過(guò)了一些問(wèn)題。

（2）The police rounded up a number of suspects

警方圍捕了一些嫌疑犯。

（3）We have lived here quite a number of years.

我們?cè)谶@兒住了好些年了。

（4）A number of the prisoners we saw are starving

我們看到的一些囚犯快要餓死了。

（5）A number of problems marred the smooth running of this event

許多問(wèn)題影響了這件事的順利進(jìn)行。

2.the number of

（1）The number of business failures has risen.

企業(yè)倒閉的數(shù)量增加了。

（2）There is to be no limitation on the number of opposition parties.

反對(duì)黨的數(shù)量沒(méi)有限制。

（3）The first and most stubborn problem was that of reductions in the number of aircraft.

最首要也是最棘手的問(wèn)題是飛機(jī)數(shù)量的減少。

（4）International rules stipulate the number of foreign entrants.

國(guó)際規(guī)則規(guī)定了外國(guó)參賽者的人數(shù)。

（5）The number of managers must double to 100 within 3 years

經(jīng)理的人數(shù)在3年內(nèi)必須翻倍達(dá)到100人。