Cool MateNumerous vs There were many of them
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Numerous
Top 2,000 (common)B2adjective
There were many of them
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Numerous
| Numerous | There were many of them | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈnjuːmərəs//🇺🇸 //ˈnjuːmərəs// | 🇬🇧 //ðeə wɜːr ˈmɛni əv ðɛm//🇺🇸 //ðɛr wɜr ˈmɛni əv ðɛm// |
| Meaning | A large number of something. | A phrase indicating a large number of people or things. |
| Example | We have numerous options available for your travel plans. | There were many of them at the concert last night. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | numerous studies, numerous options, numerous benefits | there were many, many of them, there is a lot, there were several, many people |
| Antonyms | few, scarce, limited | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'numerous' with uncountable nouns., Confusing 'numerous' with 'numerousness'., Overusing 'numerous' instead of 'many' in informal contexts. | Omitting 'of' and saying 'There were many them'., Using 'was' instead of 'were' for plural subjects., Confusing with 'There are many of them' for current situations. |
| Usage notes | Used to describe a countable quantity. Appropriate in both written and spoken contexts; avoid in overly formal settings. | Used when referring to a large quantity, often in informal conversation. Suitable for both spoken and written contexts but avoid in very formal writing. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Numerous vs There were many of them
What's the difference between Numerous and There were many of them?
Numerous: A large number of something. There were many of them: A phrase indicating a large number of people or things.
Which is more common: Numerous and There were many of them?
Numerous is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Numerous: We have numerous options available for your travel plans. There were many of them: There were many of them at the concert last night.
Can I use Numerous and There were many of them interchangeably?
Not always. Numerous and There were many of them are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.