Cases declined drastically or The number of cases declined dramatically —which is correct?
How do you translate “a number of” to “an”? I know that it’s appropriate to say “the number of students decreased” not “student decreased”. When they do, the students won’t get seats. Can we change our students? Why do you say “decline”? Why can’t you just say it? What do you think is the exact same? Is there any link? I’m specifically asking about these two sentences:
- Cases declined dramatically.
- On 1st December 2016, there were only 280 minor cases in Uganda.
Which is more appropriate? Thanks for
sharing your story.
In each sentence a person says something different.
“Cases declined dramatically. With
- this phrase implying the cases themselves have declined by indicting the cases themselves. This could mean that they took a turn for the worse or the quality of the cases declined. Could technically be used (confusingly) to specify the number of cases, though.
“The number of patients declined dramatically. The
- number of cases declined in this sentence, on the other hand, is really a sentence.
To define this sentence, it’s important what you’re trying to convey.
In each sentence a person says something different.
“Cases declined dramatically. With
- this phrase implying the cases themselves have declined by indicting the cases themselves. This could mean that they took a turn for the worse or the quality of the cases declined. Could technically be used (confusingly) to specify the number of cases, though.
“The number of patients declined dramatically. The
- number of cases declined in this sentence, on the other hand, is really a sentence.
To define this sentence, it’s important what you’re trying to convey.
