(number of) times

[ticcota]

Hi,

"I could count the number of times he's paid for a round of drinks on one hand."

Does it make sense if I leave out "number of" in the above sentence, i.e.:

"I could count the times he's paid for a round of drinks on one hand."

Thank you.

 

[KHS]

Both sound fine to me.

 

[Parla]

Both sound a little awkward to me, and after thinking about it, I realized why. I'd say, I could count on one hand the number of times he's paid for a round of drinks.

 

[Fabulist]

I guess Parla got the idea from the original sentences that the "paid on one hand for a round of drinks," which would be strange!