Re: Is Contents Singular or Plural?

Subject: Re: Is Contents Singular or Plural?
From: Christi <christi -at- sageinst -dot- COM>
To: "Wollenberger, David" <David -dot- Wollenberger -at- sterling -dot- com>, TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 09 Feb 2000 12:45:15 -0800

on 2/9/00 9:59 AM, Wollenberger, David at David -dot- Wollenberger -at- sterling -dot- com
wrote:
> Which is correct and why?
>
> The contents of the table entry area are unpredictable when no match is
> found.
> The contents of the table entry area is unpredictable when no match is
> found.

I would write

1) The contents of the table entry area are unpredictable...
OR
2) The content of the table entry area is unpredictable...

My choice would depend on what I wanted to emphasize.
If I wanted to emphasize the stuff in the table entry area, I'd use 1. If I
wanted to emphasize the table entry area itself, I'd use 2.

Unfortunately, I'm having a difficult time putting the "why" into words, and
my dictionary was no help.



Christi Carew

Sage Instruments
Freedom, CA, USA
www.sageinst.com





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