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Accumulation(s)

Accumulation(s)

Accumulation(s)

(OP)
Just last night on the news, they indicated:

"....accumulations of snow..."

Wouldn't "...accumulation of snow...", without the 's' be correct?  

I've never heard of it in a plural form with an 's'.

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

RE: Accumulation(s)

The plural would be ok if they said "accumulations of snow ranging from 2 inches in our southern vewing areas to 6 inches in the north."

RE: Accumulation(s)

Clearly the plural accumulations could be used if you are discuuing the sum of the individual accumulation of multiple things.

"Over the years, the accumulations of dirt, leaves and garbage hid the oppening from view."

Although I think the singular would also work in my example.

I don't think CJCPE is correct.  Any one location has only one accumulation.

RE: Accumulation(s)

... at any one time.

RE: Accumulation(s)

I thought this was going to be about my desk. . . . .

RE: Accumulation(s)

The "s" as in other nouns indicates the plural and is appropriate if talking about more than one.
for instance:

"The accumilation of snow is expected to reach 6 inches in the city." (one accumilation in one general place so singular)

"Accumilations of snow may be 3 to 6 inches across the state." Different accumilations in different places so plural.

RE: Accumulation(s)

Shaman2: OK on grammar, but spelling --- accumUlation(s)

RE: Accumulation(s)

Shaman2:
"across the state." Still one general place, just a bit bigger than a city.
I can't think of one practical example where the plural form of accumulation is better.

RE: Accumulation(s)

Apsix,

It is not the area (statewide versus in the city)covered that is the determining factor, but the different accumulations, as measured in different places.

It would even be possible that there were snow accumulations in several specific sites, but not a general snow fall connecting the sites, thus you would have an accumulation at site A, another at site B, a third at site C and no snow in between the sites. This would total three different accumulations, thus requiring the plural to speak of them collectively.

Grammatically speaking the presence of other snow causing these sites to be connected by snow cover or not, is not of consequence.

CheckerRon,
Thanks for the spelling tip, never claimed to be able to spell, nor to type.

RE: Accumulation(s)

If you had an accumulation and cleared it, and got another accumulation and cleared that, and got another and so on, would you say your site was prone to accumulations?

RE: Accumulation(s)

"There was an accumulation of snow of varying degrees   across the state today." I other words, if in doubt about the plural, rewrite.

 

RE: Accumulation(s)

My vote is for s as stated by others.

Let's say we go the next day and see how the forecaster did.

The accumulation in Syracuse is 6".  The accumulation in Buffalo is 3".  The accumlation in Albany is 4".

The accumulations are 3", 4", and 6".

The accumulations range from 3" to 6"

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RE: Accumulation(s)

A parallel structure.  My payment in January is $25.  My payment in February is $35.  My payment in March is $15.

The payments are $15, $25, $35.

The payments range from $15 to $35.

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