IELTS Simon

Lessons with Simon, ex-IELTS examiner

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Ebook: writing topics
December 03, 2011
Video course
How to teach IELTS IELTS Grammar: number, amount, proportion, figure
Ebook: 100 Flashcards
Somebody asked me about the difference between these 4 words (for IELTS
Member site writing task 1). I'll try to explain some basic ways to use them.

number
This blog
- Use "the number of + plural noun" e.g. the number of visitors.
Home page - Don't use it to describe percentages or uncountable nouns e.g. money.
My mission
amount
IELTS General Writing - Use "the amount of + uncountable noun" e.g. the amount of money.
IELTS Listening - Don't use it with countable nouns e.g. the amount of person/people.
IELTS Reading proportion
IELTS Speaking - Only use this to describe percentages (not numbers).
IELTS Writing Task 1 - Use "the proportion of + plural noun" e.g. the proportion of people.
IELTS Writing Task 2 figure
Questions / Advice - Use "the figure for + plural noun" e.g. the figure for visitors to the UK.
Vocabulary / Grammar - Use it with uncountable nouns e.g. the figure for unemployment.
- Use it with countries e.g. the figure for Canada.
- Use it with percentages e.g. the figure (for...) rose to 10%.
Search
Note:
If you've read any of my task 1 essays, you'll see that I like "the figure for"
Search because it can be used in almost any situation.

Archives
Comments

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post.

I like "the figure for".

Posted by: jaydow | December 03, 2011 at 10:31

hi simon,
question:
many researches suggest that overeating some foods can cause health problems
like cigerattes use. its advertisements should be banned as for cigerattes in some
nations?

to what extend do you agree or disagree

for this question,i disagreed

also i included these points in my body paragraph like diabetes is not as fatal as
lung carcinoma and comparison between junk foods and cigerattes is unfair,in
between other disagreeing ones.

will these mentioned points backfire ?

worried....

Posted by: rajeesh | December 03, 2011 at 11:58

Hi Simon,

Can we use word "the figures for"?

Posted by: Patty | December 03, 2011 at 13:17

hi simon,

sorry,it was obesity in place of diabetes...

Posted by: rajeesh | December 05, 2011 at 02:02

Dear Simon,
It means that we can use only "the proportion of" and "the figure for" to describe
pie charts or bar charts in which the data are measured in percentages, doesn't
it? Can we use "the amount of" to describe percentages?
Thank u so much

Posted by: Quynh | December 05, 2011 at 02:53

Hi Rajeesh,

Your ideas seem fine to me.

...

Hi Patty,

Yes, use "figures" to talk about more than one.

...

Hi Quynh,

Yes, just use "the proportion/percentage of" and "the figure for" to describe
percentages. Don't use 'amount'.

Posted by: Simon | December 05, 2011 at 11:41

hi simon,

thank u very much..

this site really helps.;

Posted by: rajeesh | December 06, 2011 at 00:52

hi simon

can we replace those words with quantity?

Posted by: Mehran | December 06, 2011 at 04:45

Hi Mehran,

I don't usually use 'quantity' for task 1 essays. However, it can often replace
'number' or 'amount'.

Posted by: Simon | December 06, 2011 at 17:52

Hi,

Thanks for posting this one, it helps me a lot! Keep your posts coming, I'd really
love to read you sample essays and set my samples to it. TheIELTSSolution.com

Thank you.

Posted by: TheIELTSSolution | December 08, 2011 at 22:47

Hi Simon,
what about the usage of "Rate"???

Posted by: Dung | December 09, 2011 at 02:29

Hi Dung,

RATE = a measure, quantity, or frequency, typically one measured against some

other quantity or measure e.g. the crime rate rose by 26 percent.

My advice is to use 'rate' only for a few specific things e.g. crime rate,
unemployment rate, divorce rate.

Try Googling it to find some more specific uses.

Posted by: Simon | December 09, 2011 at 11:37

okje, I got it, thanks so much!!!

Posted by: Dung | December 09, 2011 at 14:35

Simon,

Do I use "its" properly in this sentence?

Between 1982 and 1997 saw a rapid growth in the number of Indonesian
students in Australia before "its" peak of roughly 25,000 in 1998.

"Its" is intended to refer to the number of Indonesian students in Australia.

Posted by: Pond | June 01, 2012 at 16:30

Hi Simon,
When we are stating data, is it possible to use 'rate' in any situation? Or should
we use it just with percentages?

Thank you.

Posted by: Mini | May 12, 2019 at 13:13

Hi Simon, Can we say " the figure of 16% in England was higher than the figure
for other countries"

Posted by: Tung | June 08, 2019 at 08:51

Hi Tung - my countryman,
It's better: The figure of 16% in England was higher than those in other countries.
'Those' replaces 'the figures of 16%'

Posted by: Tuzacmartin | August 10, 2019 at 17:59

Dear Simon,

Is it correct if I write: "The number of A and B is 1 and 2"? Can we use "the
number of" for several things listed?

Thanks very much.

Kind regards,

Louis Ho

Posted by: Louis | November 13, 2019 at 13:12

Hi Simon,
Can we you "the Figure of" in any case?
Ex:
the figure for volunteers in educational org = the figure of educational org.

Thank you so much.

Posted by: Lina | March 02, 2020 at 07:57

Hi Simon,
Can you tell me that after the phrase "the figure for ..." I should use plural verb or
singular verb??

Thank you so much!!

Posted by: Tra | June 18, 2020 at 16:36

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