new ways
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As a result of this, this forum is now closed.
The English dictionary community team would like the opportunity to say a huge thanks to all of you who participated by posting questions and helping other community members.
We hope this forum was useful, and that you enjoyed being a part of it.
If you would like to get in touch with any OED-related queries, please write to
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Thank you very much indeed, and good bye!
The community team
new ways
in General
THERE IS - implies space parameter
EXIST - implies existentiality
ARE-IS
what other ways are available to express something cleanly, without implying - inadvertently creating unrequired
there are 5 possibilities to do that
5 possibilities exist to do that
5 possibilities are
Answers
@liyviyvuvo
First of all, possibilities to do that is problematic.
In almost every context I can think of it's ungrammatical.
I can just about accept possibility to do that as meaning
'opportunity that has been provided so that someone can do that',
but I don't think this is what you have in mind.
If you want to include the notion 'do that', then I think it has to be one of these expressions:
Of course, if the norion can be 'understood' from context, it would be simple to write the single word
possibilities
The differences between the three are grammatical.
NOUN PHRASE is/are
Except for some contrived stylistic effects this is ungrammatical without a second NOUN PHRASE
There is/There are NOUN PHRASE
Typically, the NOUN PHRASE has INDEFINITE REFERENCE.
The only common use of the is when the NOUN is followed by a POSTMODIFYING PHRASE establishing the REFERENCE. For example
There is always the possibility that he won't come
Even here, INDEFINITE REFERNCE is acceptable
There is always a possibility that he won't come
NOUN PHRASE exists/exist
Normally, the NOUN PHRASE must have UNIQUE REFERENCE.
So it would be extremely strange, if not ungrammatical to write.
A possibility exists.
without some explanatory continuation such as
that he won't come
Using these three devices to identify possibilities, the obvious difference between [1] and the other two is that
The difference between [2] and [3] is not a question of 'spacial parameter'.
As I said, the difference lies in INDEFINITE vs UNIQUE REFERENCE.
Take the notion of a divinity
These choices determine the grammar of the NOUN PHRASE, which in turn determines whether to use expression [2] or [3].
For a believer, the location of God is — everywhere.