documents states that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "documents states that" is not correct in English.
It should be "documents state that" to agree in number. You can use it when referring to what multiple documents indicate or assert. Example: "The reports and studies reviewed indicate that the documents state that the project will commence next month."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Academia

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Currently, a hyperlink between two "documents" states that there is some unspecified relation between them.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This documents states that there are currently no officially recommended levels of physical activity for the European region, but it cites the international recommendations, it gives an overview of the health effects and public health relevance of physical activity and it explains the principles of physical activity promotion.

BMC Public Health

In this table, 71,043 hectares are identified as "protected zones", where other information provided in more recent municipal documents states that a total of 86,440 hectares of protected areas exists in the metropolitan area (for example, see Metzger and Bermúdez, 1996).

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Internal NSA documents state that Prism involves "collection directly from the servers of these US service providers: Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, PalTalk, AOL, Skype, YouTube, Apple".

The Guardian

The documents state that Alexander initiated contact with the student by giving him her cell phone number.

Huffington Post

Wednesday's document states that child care will be part of Trump's plan but offers no further details.

The Washington Post

(Its establishing document states that, "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed").

The Guardian

In its introduction, the document states that "the purpose of this act is to restate the general prohibition on abortion in Ireland".

The Guardian

Page 19 of the fundraising document states that even the latest £30m top-up won't prevent a funding shortfall at the end of April.

The Guardian - Business

The document states that each school's "ethos and teaching, which schools should make parents aware of" should support English law.

The Guardian

The court document states that at the same time Sunderland was negotiating the collaboration with Pfizer, he negotiated for consultancies on biomarker projects.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always ensure subject-verb agreement. Since "documents" is plural, use "state" instead of "states".

Common error

Avoid using the singular verb form "states" with the plural subject "documents". Use the plural verb form "state" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "documents states that" incorrectly attempts to function as a declarative statement, where "documents" acts as the subject and "states" as the verb. However, due to the subject-verb agreement error, it fails to do so correctly. According to Ludwig AI, it should be 'documents state that'.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "documents states that" suffers from a subject-verb agreement error, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, and should be corrected to "documents state that". While the intent is to convey factual information drawn from documentation, the grammatical error undermines its effectiveness. The phrase appears across various contexts like news, science, and academia, suggesting a neutral register. For alternative and more grammatically sound options, consider phrases like "documents indicate that" or "documents assert that". Remember to always ensure subject-verb agreement for clear and accurate communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

documents indicate that

Replaces "states" with "indicate", suggesting a less direct assertion but still conveying information.

documents assert that

Uses "assert" instead of "states", implying a stronger declaration or claim made by the documents.

documents reveal that

Substitutes "states" with "reveal", suggesting that the documents uncover or disclose something previously unknown.

documents show that

Replaces "states" with "show", a more general term for presenting information.

the documentation specifies that

Replaces "documents" with "the documentation" and "states" with "specifies", often used in technical or formal contexts.

the record details that

Replaces "documents" with "the record" and "states" with "details", emphasizing a comprehensive account.

reports confirm that

Replaces "documents" with "reports" and "states" with "confirm", indicating corroboration of information.

evidence suggests that

Uses "evidence" instead of "documents" and "suggests" instead of "states", framing the information as indicative but not definitive.

findings disclose that

Replaces "documents" with "findings" and "states" with "disclose", implying that the information comes from a study or investigation.

the analysis concludes that

Replaces "documents" with "the analysis" and "states" with "concludes", indicating that the information is a result of thorough examination.

FAQs

What is the correct grammatical form, "documents states that" or "documents state that"?

The correct form is "documents state that". The subject "documents" is plural, so it requires the plural verb form "state".

Are there alternative ways to phrase "documents state that"?

Yes, you can use alternatives such as "documents indicate that", "documents assert that", or "documents reveal that" depending on the context.

How can I use "documents state that" in a sentence?

Example: "The newly released documents state that the company's profits have increased significantly."

What is the difference between "documents state that" and "the document states that"?

"Documents state that" refers to multiple documents, while "the document states that" refers to a single document. Ensure you use the correct form based on whether you're talking about one or more documents.