Meaning of nil

[Van Khanh]

Please read these 2 sentences:

a/ The doctors rated her chances as nil.
b/ The doctors rated her chances as nothing.

Are they the same meaning?
What is the meaning of “nil”?

Thanks
K

[Alan]

Hi,

I would prefer different versions:

rated her chances as nil or she had no chance.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Don't bank on it

[Van Khanh]

Can I say:

....rated her chances as nothing?

Is it correct?

Thanks
K

[Yankee]

Hi Khahn

Like Alan, I don't much like the choice of the word "nothing" in your sentence.

If you're looking for an alternative for the word nil, then I'd suggest zero in the context of your sentence.

An example of a context where you could use the word nothing would be when you report the score of a sports competition. For example:
"The Yankees won four (to) nothing."

(The Yankees = a professional baseball team in the New York City area.)

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Van Khanh]

Hi Yankee,

Very interesting, especially with the Yankees.



Khanh