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Supercat Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Sg in general statement
We say:
A malicious ActiveX control can potentially damage software or data on a user's computer.
I think this is a general statement.
1) Do you use the singular when you're sure there's one user's computer?
2) When ActiveX is used, you guess that only one computer is likely to be used? Therefore it's singular.
3) In a general statement, is using the singular useful? (because the number of computers is not your focus)
A malicious ActiveX control can potentially damage software or data on a user's computer.
I think this is a general statement.
1) Do you use the singular when you're sure there's one user's computer?
2) When ActiveX is used, you guess that only one computer is likely to be used? Therefore it's singular.
3) In a general statement, is using the singular useful? (because the number of computers is not your focus)
Top answer
I think you're looking at it the wrong way. I agree that it's a general statement and as such it can be used in either sigular or plural forms. A malicious ActiveX control can potentially damage software or data on a user's computer.
- I think you're looking at it the wrong way.
- I agree that it's a general statement and as such it can be used in either sigular or plural forms.
- A malicious ActiveX control can potentially damage software or data on a user's computer.
- (plural) It just happens that the plural form is less common.
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3 Answers
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I think you're looking at it the wrong way.
I agree that it's a general statement and as such it can be used in either sigular or plural forms.
A malicious ActiveX control can potentially damage software or data on a user's computer.(singular)
A malicious ActiveX control can potentially damage software or data on users' computers.(plural)
I agree that it's a general statement and as such it can be used in either sigular or plural forms.
A malicious ActiveX control can potentially damage software or data on a user's computer.(singular)
A malicious ActiveX control can potentially damage software or data on users' computers.(plural)
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The sentence is fine. There is no need to worry about whether each user has only one computer. It would be an absurd interpretation to say "I have more than one computer, so ActiveX controls can only damage one of them".
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Thank you both!
IvanhrI think you're looking at it the wrong way.Yes I listed probable factors I could think of purposely to get an answer.
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