I have (a) good reason to be suspicious.

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Peaceblinkfriend

#543064 Fri, 18 Jul 08 02:28 PM

I have a good reason to be suspicious.

I have good reasons to be suspicious.

What might the difference be between them?

Thank you for your help

PBF

Peaceblinkfriend

Joined on Wed, May 9 2007

Australia

Contributing Member (1,481)

Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. But I finally realised that it is really impossible if you don't put your money where your mouth is.

Cool Breeze

#543110 Fri, 18 Jul 08 04:22 PM

A plural (reasons) implies that there are several reasons.

Cool Breeze

Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006

Helsinki, Finland

Senior Member (2,685)

The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.- Mark Twain

Plurals

New2grammar

#543118 Fri, 18 Jul 08 04:37 PM

How about the uncountable, reason?

Which one would you use, CB?

New2grammar

Joined on Tue, Nov 21 2006

Veteran Member (7,670)

Who wants to go sailing around the world with me?

Grammar Geek

#543133 Fri, 18 Jul 08 05:16 PM

The uncountable form of reason is an entirely different meaning.

Here, reason means "cause."

The uncountable form means, sort of, good judgement, intelligence

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (15,282)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

New2grammar

#543139 Fri, 18 Jul 08 05:23 PM

I can't see any difference Sad

The following seems to use reason in a way that works for the poster's context.

An underlying fact or cause that provides logical sense for a premise or occurrence: There is reason to believe that the accused did not commit this crime.

GG, could you help me out?

New2grammar

Marius Hancu

#543174 Fri, 18 Jul 08 06:33 PM

They're quite different:

I have A good reason to be suspicious. [There's exactly one reason

I have good reasons to be suspicious. [There are probably several reasons, and most probably I don't want to say anything more about them.

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)

Kooyeen

#543195 Fri, 18 Jul 08 07:25 PM

New2grammar
I can't see any difference

I agree with GG that "reason" used as an uncountable noun has a different meaning, but I wouldn't say it's "very different". I think the uncountable "reason" means more or less "one or more good reasons that support a choice or a behavior".
There is reason to believe... = For some reasons, it is reasonable to believe...

Just the way I see it, anyway. Smile

Kooyeen

Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005

Italy

Senior Member (3,832)

If you don't have a sense of humor already, it's about time you buy one.

Grammar, Nouns, Uncountable nouns, Countable nouns

Grammar Geek

#543217 Fri, 18 Jul 08 09:02 PM

Ah, I see. I was thinking about "reason" as in "The Age of Reason."

Yes, you can say "there is reason to believe" but that's less precise than saying "I have my reasons" or "I have a reason to be susicious. When you use the countable form, you are being specific: You found lipstick on his collar, a hotel receipt for a hotel in town you've never been to, etc.

Grammar Geek

New2grammar

#543240 Fri, 18 Jul 08 11:04 PM

Thanks, Kooyeen and GG.

New2grammar

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