English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
INCIDENT or INCIDENCE?
No one was injured in the shooting ~incidence~ (nonstandard).
No one was injured in the shooting *incident* (standard).
An incident is something that happens, often something that is unpleasant.
There have been quite a few ~incidents~ of bullying in the school (nonstandard).
There have been quite a few *incidences* of bullying in the school (standard).
The incidence of something bad, such as a disease or crime, is the frequency with which it occurs, or the occasions when it occurs.
TASK
1. There were several amusing ___ (incidents, incidences).
2. The chaos was caused by a serious border ___ (incident, incidence).
3. May we not experience an ___ of child mortality (incident, incidence).
4. The increase __ of cancer is something WHO should look into (incident, incidence)
GAB
No comment