Irish poet Seamus Heaney has won a number of prizes for his work, incl

the answer is A
B - the number of prizes is singular and include is plural
C- numbers of prizes is wrong. its always number of, u can count the number of prizes
D- same the numbers of and include
E - the meaning changes, its not because of his irish poetry its because of his work
so through elimination u can say A is the correct answer

Quoting the post of Mitch Hunt on this question.
Feel free to add if u any other pointers.

A NUMBER means NUMEROUS.
THE NUMBER, THE NUMBERS, and NUMBERS refer to ACTUAL NUMBERS (such as 5, 127, etc.)


In B, the number (singular) does not agree with include (plural). Eliminate B.

In C, NUMBERS of prizes refers -- strangely -- not to the prizes themselves but to the ACTUAL NUMBERS associated with these prizes. The intended meaning of the sentence is that Seamus Heaney has won A NUMBER of prizes (meaning NUMEROUS prizes). Eliminate C.

In D, the numbers (meaning ACTUAL NUMBERS) cannot include the Nobel Prize and two Book of the Year awards. Eliminate D.

In E, him (an object pronoun) cannot be used to replace Seamus Heaney's (an adjective modifying Irish poetry). Only a NOUN (or a subject pronoun, such as HE) can serve as the antecedent of an object pronoun. Eliminate E.

The correct answer is A.
In A, Seamus Heaney has won A NUMBER of prizes means that the poet has won NUMEROUS prizes.

+1 A. Please find the below errors in the highlighted area

OE

This sentence is correct as written. "A number of" is the correct quantity expression when referring to an unspecified number of things.

(A) CORRECT. This answer is correct as written.

(B) "The number of" is used when referring to a specific quantity but we are not given a specific quantity in this sentence; we are provided only with a few examples ("include the Nobel Prize..."). This sentence construction requires "a number of" in order to indicate that we are talking about some unspecified number of prizes. (Furthermore, if "the number of" were correct, it would require using "includes" because it is singular.)

(C) "Numbers of" is never the correct construction. Only "a number of" and "the number of" can be correct. This sentence construction requires "a number of" in order to indicate that we are talking about some unspecified number of prizes.

(D) "The numbers of" is never the correct construction. Only "a number of" and "the number of" can be correct. This sentence construction requires "a number of" in order to indicate that we are talking about some unspecified number of prizes.

(E) The pronoun "him" is meant to refer to Seamus Heaney, but "Seamus Heaney" is not in the sentence - only "Seamus Heaney's Irish poetry". The pronoun has no antecedent. In addition, the passive construction of this sentence makes it unacceptably awkward.

Doesn't the modifier 'including'modify his work here in option A? Experts please help.

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I was between A and B but I finally eliminate A because the " , -ing" is mostly use to state an effect. Please explain me why is B incorrect I understand the difference between "the number" and " a number" though.