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ShaNap Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Evidence -- Evidences ?
Would you choose the first sentence or the 2nd? Or both?
A. There wasn't enough evidence to reach a verdict.
B. There weren't enough evidences to reach a verdict.
Is the quantity of "evidence" is uaually a vague one? A thing that leads to the singular form?
Thanks.
A. There wasn't enough evidence to reach a verdict.
B. There weren't enough evidences to reach a verdict.
Is the quantity of "evidence" is uaually a vague one? A thing that leads to the singular form?
Thanks.
Top answer
A is correct; evidence is a mass noun and seldom used in the plural. , etc. etc.
- A is correct; evidence is a mass noun and seldom used in the plural.
- , etc.
- etc.
- all taken together.
- Regards, A- s
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9 Answers
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A is correct; evidence is a mass noun and seldom used in the plural.
evidence = fingerprints, DNA, hair samples, written letter, voice mail, witnesses' testimony, etc., etc. etc. all taken together.
Regards,
A-
evidence = fingerprints, DNA, hair samples, written letter, voice mail, witnesses' testimony, etc., etc. etc. all taken together.
Regards,
A-
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Yes, it is used in the case where there are multiple separate independent bodies or groups of evidence. It is rare.
Here is a quote from Christian Science Monitor:
I allowed students to write either a position paper on evolution or one on intelligent design, giving five best evidences, " DeHart says of his approach.
Chicago News:
More than 2,000 gallons of rote
Here is a quote from Christian Science Monitor:
I allowed students to write either a position paper on evolution or one on intelligent design, giving five best evidences, " DeHart says of his approach.
Chicago News:
More than 2,000 gallons of rote
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Hi,
These examples both sound extremely odd, in fact simply wrong, to me.
These examples both sound extremely odd, in fact simply wrong, to me.
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Clive? Are you sure?
You think this one is wrong:
A. There wasn't enough evidence to reach a verdict. (?)
If you had to write it, what would you do?
You think this one is wrong:
A. There wasn't enough evidence to reach a verdict. (?)
If you had to write it, what would you do?
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Hi,
You misunderstand me. I meant that the plural form 'evidences' just sounds wrong to me, despite the two examples quoted.
I suppose it is possible that 'evidences' is an archaic form, or some obscureor specialized piece of legal terminology, but in the re
You misunderstand me. I meant that the plural form 'evidences' just sounds wrong to me, despite the two examples quoted.
I suppose it is possible that 'evidences' is an archaic form, or some obscureor specialized piece of legal terminology, but in the re
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CliveHi,These examples both sound extremely odd, in fact simply wrong, to me. CliveI agree, Clive. There were quite a number of citations to choose from in COCAE, and these two sounded the least "strange" to my ear. I would have said these in a different way. I only use "evidence" in the singular, myself.
A-
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