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nawee · Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Posts: 400

Hello,

Why is the plural form used in the following sentence?

"Text messaging during the New Year period surged to new heights with 59 million SMS messags sent this year."

Isn't the 59 million messages a new record, therefore a singular point?

Thank you,

Nawee

Mister Micawber · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 774 Location: Yokohama

nawee · Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Posts: 400

Thank you for the speedy answer!

What about "new peaks" in "Prague floods surge to new peaks"? There isn't an entry of "peaks" as a high place, right? So would it be possible to talk about "a new peak"?

Thank you,

Nawee

Mister Micawber · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 774 Location: Yokohama

.
Of course-- just as you can talk about a new height. It is just that new heights is more frozen as an expression.

Why don't you try googling the four expressions (new height(s)/peak(s))?
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_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
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Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's