I am sure that you have noticed that in the busy storm season many people had been describing the effect of the storm as “damages”. Probably because the effects have been so extensive they use what they think is a plural form of “damage”. However take note of the following tip and be aware of the correct usage of the two words.
Avoid confusing “damage” with “damages”. The words have different meanings and their usage is different.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary indicates that the word “damage” means “loss or harm resulting from injury to person, property, or reputation”.
According to the Oxford dictionary the word “damages” means “a sum of money claimed or awarded in compensation for a loss or injury”. “Damages” is usually used in a legal context.
When you want to refer to the uprooted trees, broken power lines and blown-off roofs caused by a hurricane you must use the word damage.
Example: Hurricane Irma caused extensive damage in several Caribbean islands where it destroyed buildings, uprooted trees and flooded streets and homes.
Damage is a mass noun or an uncountable noun. It is the type of mass noun or uncountable noun which fits this definition given by Oxford dictionary.
“A noun denoting something that cannot be counted (e.g. a substance or quality), in English usually a noun which lacks a plural in ordinary usage and is not used with the indefinite article, e.g. china, happiness.”
The indefinite article is “a” or “an”. You cannot say or write, “I have a damage, two damage” and so on. Think of it in the same way as you would use the word luggage. Luggage refers to all the items or packages, bags and suitcases that persons take along when travelling.
Damage similarly refers to everything that has been lost, injured, impaired and affected negatively, so it cannot have a plural form.
The legal context
The word “damages” has an entirely different meaning to “damage”.
“Damages” is a term that has a legal application. The word “damages” refers to a claim you can make because of injury or loss you suffered that was caused by another person. The claim is for a monetary amount that would compensate you for your loss or injury. A court could award you such compensation. This amount whether you claim it or whether it is awarded is called “damages”.
Example: The employee claimed damages of $200,000 for injuries he sustained because his employers neglected to fix a faulty machine.
You can in fact claim damages for the damage inflicted on your property.
Example: I am claiming $1000 in damages for the damage done to my crop by Farmer Brown’s pigs.
Example: The defective stove caused a fire in my kitchen so I expect to be awarded damages when I sue the manufacturer.
Avoid confusing the words “damage” and “damages”. The confusion may arise because the word damages has a plural structure and is mistakenly considered to be the plural of damage.
However remember that they are two separate words with distinct meanings. Their usage is different. Remember that when you are writing or speaking.