amount用作名词时，意为“数量”“总额”等，通常用于 a (great, large) amount of 这类结构，表示“大量”“许多”，其后通常接不可数名词。（quantity用法基本相似）如：

There was a fair amount of traffic on the roads. 路上的车辆颇多。

An increasing amount of organic produce is to be found on supermarket shelves. 越来越多的有机产品出现在超市货架上。

这类结构用作主语，其谓语的数取决于 amount 的数。如：

在这座桥上花了大量资金。

正：A large amount of money was spent on the bridge.

正：Large amounts of money were spent on the bridge.

Vast amounts of energy, from X-rays right through the spectrum down to radiowaves, are escaping into space

大量的能量，从X光直到无线电电波，都正被泄露到太空中去。《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

Huge amounts of weapons remain to be collected.

大量的武器仍有待收缴。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

Large quantities of water are polluted every year.

大量的水每一年被污染了。

Quantities of food were on the table.

桌上摆了大量食物。

Large quantities of goods were damaged in the storm.

大量的货物在风暴中受损。

Vast amounts of money are being invested in the local market.

大量资金正在本地市场投资。(托福试题)

What does Canada export? Large quantities of wheat are sent abroad.

加拿大出口什么？大批小麦被送到国外。(托福试题)

注：其后也可以接复数可数名词的用法，但比较少见。如：

The shopkeeper had a large amount of oranges in his storeroom. 店主在货仓里存有大量橙子。——摘自《朗文当代高级英语词典》

Even small amounts of these substances are known to cause skin problems. 我们知道这种物质即使是一丁点也会损害皮肤。——摘自《剑桥高阶英词典》

The highest quantities of medicines were found in cow's milk.

牛奶中发现了最高数量的药物。

Large quantities of cultural relics and samples are also preserved.

大量的文化遗物和样品也保存在这里。

In this process, a large quantities of Chinese outstanding enterprise is blooming.

在这个过程中，一大批中国优秀的企业脱颖而出。