Dec 12 2007
Perplexing Plurals
Most plurals are a piece of pie. But plenty of issues pertaining to plurals pose puzzling problems for most people, including these four:
The first issue: making compound words plural. Which of the following are correct?
1. The convention is for all attorney generals.
2. The convention is for all attorneys general.
3. He has two son-in-laws.
4. He has two sons-in-law.
If you selected #2 and #4, you’re right. Here’s the rule:
To make a compound word that consists of separate or hyphenated words plural, make the most significant of the words plural.
Be aware that this applies only when the compound words consist of separate or hyphenated words. If the compound word is written as a single, unhyphenated word, (as in “handful” or “tablespoon”), simply add an “s” to the end of the word (“handfuls” and “tablespoons”).
The second issue: making words as words plural. Which of these is right?
1. There are no if’s, and’s or but’s about it!
2. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it!
Did you guess the second? Congratulations. The rule is:
When a word refers to the word itself, make it plural without using an apostrophe.
Issue number three involves making single-letter words plural. Which two of the next four sentences are correct?
1. Mind your ps and qs!
2. Mind your p’s and q’s!
3. He earned Ds in all his classes.
4. He earned D’s in all his classes.
The second and fourth sentences are right. The rule is simple: To make a single-letter word plural, ad an apostrophe followed by an “s.”
The fourth issue is how to make words like “VIP” or “IOU” plural. Do you add an apostrophe followed by an “s”, as you do with words made of single letters? That would be logical. But who said our language’s rules are logical? Here’s how this issue sorts out:
WRONG: We’re taking the VIP’s out to lunch.
RIGHT: We’re taking the VIPs out to lunch.
WRONG: I collected five IOU’s from Tim.
RIGHT: I collected five IOUs from Tim.
What other language provides so many opportunities to be wrong?
