---
title: "There Is a Number of vs. There Are a Number of"
description: "In general, the choice between there is vs. there are depends on the noun that follows the phrase. However, when it comes to the phrases there is a number and there are a number, the choice depends on the emphasis that you want to make."
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/styleguide/tw/there_is_there_are.html"
breadcrumb: "Style Guide > Tips and Tricks > There Is a Number of vs. There Are a Number of"
dateModified: "2026-09-03"
---

# There Is a Number of vs. There Are a Number of

In general, the choice between **there is** vs. **there are** depends on the noun that follows the phrase. However, when it comes to the phrases **there is a number** and **there are a number**, the choice depends on the emphasis that you want to make.

Use **there is a number** if you want to emphasize a group as a whole. Use **there are a number** if you want to emphasize individual members in a group.

### Example 1

When you test a plan, [there are a number of issues]{.mdhl-correct} that may occur in the Orchestrator UI: [*issues are listed explicitly*]

- Orchestrator calculates the completion percentage wrong and displays the execution progress bar incorrectly.
- Lab group states are shown incorrectly.
- Plan states are shown incorrectly.

### Example 2

[There is a number of ways]{.mdhl-correct} to update VMware Tools. For example, you can do it manually or configure VMs to perform automatic updates the next time they reboot. [*options are not that important themselves*]