Using an unnecessary apostrophe to form the plural of a noun is a very common mistake. Grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing book. Describes a noun or pronounfor example, a tall girl, an interesting book, a big house. The plurals for capital letters and numbers used as nouns are not formed with apostrophes. Pluralize numbers and abbreviations without apostrophes. Mignon fogarty is the founder of quick and dirty tips and the author of seven books on language, including the new york times bestseller. Remember, the plural of child is children, not childrens. Grammar at a glance i bet you thought grammar couldnt get any more quick and dirty than it did in the previous pages, but heres the quickest grammar of all, culled from lengthier explanations found elsewhere in this book. Grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing by. Buy our book smashing grammar 2019 written by the founder of grammar monster, smashing grammar includes a glossary of grammar essentials from apostrophes to zeugma and a chapter on easily confused words from affecteffect to whetherif. Plural acronyms without an apostrophe not only look neater but are also clearly not possessive nouns. This is what makes acronyms uniqueyou can read them as they.
An abbreviation, also called an initialism, is pronounced letter by letter. Theyre designed to save time and take up less space whether youre typing or writing by hand, and can even make your writing. Girls two, so its plural girls one girl, but it is possessive it shows what is hers, what belongs to her girls more than one girl, still possessive imagine it this way. A common mistake people make is to include apostrophes when pluralizing a number or an abbreviation. He said it was a good book for improving my english. Whenever its full form federal bureau of investigation is normally preceded by the, i would expect its initialized form to be as well. At the first mention, always write the full name, followed by the acronym in. Sometimes, its called the grocers apostrophe because of how frequently it is spotted in grocery store advertisements 3 oranges for a dollar. These days, you can usually get your editor or editorial assistant to live link the glossary entries to the actual usage of such terms in text. Plural so we all know that apostrophes are used to show possession. Acronyms are pronounced as a words, while initialisms have each of their letters pronounced individually. Revisiting use of quotation marks when creating defined. Some publications put periods after each letter, arguing that because each letter is essentially an abbreviation for a word, periods are necessary. What is the correct way to portray nouns that end in y when necessary to indicate they could be singular or plural.
Hgvs sign if youre a grammar pedant like me, signs like this or ones advertising cds for sale will most likely make your. English grammar today a reference to written and spoken english grammar and usage cambridge dictionary. The plural morpheme in english is suffixed to the end of most nouns. Irony is the use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning. The word the is one of the most common words in english. No specific source except every english grammar text book. The chicago guide to grammar, usage, and punctuation by. Nouns ending in s, sh, ch and x, form their plurals by adding es to the singular. Rbis acronyms are abbreviations that are pronounced as words nasa, and initialisms are abbreviations for which you say each letter fbi. Buy our book smashing grammar 2019 written by the founder of grammar monster, smashing grammar includes a glossary of grammar essentials from apostrophes to zeugma and a.
Notes from the newsroom on grammar, usage and style. Oct 10, 2006 mignon fogarty is the founder of quick and dirty tips and the author of seven books on language, including the new york times bestseller grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing. With the chicago guide to grammar, usage, and punctuation, he has written the definitive guide for writers who want their prose to be both memorable and correct. The crux of the problem is that soss cannot serve as both a genitive singular and a nominative plural, because you then run into a brick wall trying to make a genitive plural.
Grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing quick. I would expect to hear the fbi, because fbi is an initialism aloud. As a general rule, use only an s or an es without an apostrophe to form the plurals of nouns including dates, acronyms, and family names. For example, i was editing a book where a person received a gift of a pair of. She is an inductee in the podcasting hall of fame, and the show is a fivetime winner of best education podcast in the podcast awards. Mar 19, 2018 grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing is a very modern book, discussing rules for email and twitter, how to punctuate urls, and the proper way cite websites in news articles or papers. Terms such as fbi, hmo, and naacp, although widely called acronyms, are actually abbreviations. Separate entries in this book give plurals for troublesome words and guidance on whether certain words should be used with singular or plural verbs and pronouns. Apostrophes are generally used in contractions and to indicate the possessive case, but they are not used to form plurals of numbers and abbreviations in apa style. Whether you are a grammar phobe seeking guidance, a parent looking for a tutorial that your kids will enjoy and therefore use or a writer seeking a fun reference manual for frustrating recurring questions, grammar girl s quick and dirty tips for better writing will likely satisfy. The general approach is to derive the plural according to how an abbreviation, acronym etc. The apostrophe with numbers, letters, and abbreviations.
However, it is also correct to just add the apostrophe. However, as grammar monster points out, you can use an apostrophe to show a plural if it assists your reader. Whether youre thinking about pursuing a career in dentistry or you just have a curiosity as the patient in the chair, getting a grasp on the lingo can come in handy. In fact, grammar girl has appeared or been mentioned on the oprah winfrey show, the new york times, and usa today, to name a few. Grammar girls 101 troublesome words youll master in no time. Create plural nouns in french by adding an s or x, or by substituting aux for al. Use apostrophes for plurals of abbreviations that have capital letters and periods. An acronym is a word formed from the first letter or letters of a series of words.
Jul 01, 2014 in english, we form the plurals of nouns by adding s to the singular. Unless your editor wishes otherwise, if you write books, spell it dos. Girls the possessive plural, as in the girls purses all were black. May 16, 2016 one unusual use of the apostrophe is in plural acronyms, like icbms ngos and cds. Describes a noun or pronounfor example, a tall girl, an interesting book. Acronyms ending in the letter s take es in the plural. If the abbreviation is obscure or unfamiliar, make sure to explain what it means the first time you use it. You should only use an apostrophe in the plural of an abbreviation, a letter, or a number to assist your reader. Choose from 265 different sets of grammar girl flashcards on quizlet.
Both acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations that are formed by combining the first letter of each word in a longer name or phrase. The plural of an abbreviation or acronym is shown by adding s to the end. The chicago manual of style online is the venerable, timetested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. Regular english plurals fall into three classes, depending upon the sound that ends the singular form. Do not use an apostrophe before the s unless the apostrophe significantly helps the readers. Possession johns car, a friend of mine english grammar today a reference to written and spoken english grammar and usage cambridge dictionary. Sometimes, its called the grocers apostrophe because of how frequently it is spotted in grocery store advertisements. Grammar girl one is singular and the other is plural. Try not to use unfamiliar acronyms in your introductory paragraph. Mignon fogarty, grammar girl, wrote a nyt bestseller, grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing. Puede ser posesivo, numeral, demostrativo casa bgrandeb, mujer baltab.
Abbreviations and acronyms are shorter versions of existing words and phrases. Grammar girl presents the ultimate writing guide for students. The plurals of abbreviations and acronyms grammar monster. Grammar and punctuation the blue book of grammar and. To the delight of word nerds everywhere, grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing came out yesterday. Style guides for book and academic publishing generally would. Sosss or some such similar silliness simply doesnt work. Nouns in english are preceded by the definite article when the speaker believes that the listener already knows what he is referring to. When writing a book or long report, create a glossary to help the reader keep track of specialized acronyms, terms and abbreviations in longer documents. My biggest beef, though, is with the erroneous use of apostrophes to pluralize acronyms and abbreviations like ceos, gis, and cds.
Democracies allow the existence of pluralistic societies. Sarcasm is a cutting, often ironic remark intended to wound. The same rule applies to the plural form of any other type of number, such as describing someones age e. Facility or facilities and one or more facilities are both clear. Grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing by mignon. Singular phenomenon criterion plural phenomena criteria quick and dirty tip.
Since this pattern violates the rule that apostrophes are not used before an s indicating a plural, many people object to it. Today, all major publications and style guides im aware of recommend simply adding an s without an apostrophe. In the past, some publications used apostrophes to make acronyms and abbreviations plural, so until a few years ago, it was common to see something like rbis or cds in the new york. For instance, writing the 1960s when referring to that entire decade is. Mignon fogarty is the founder of quick and dirty tips and the author of seven books on language, including the new york times bestseller grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing. But few are as familiar with term initialism, or of an important distinction between the two an acronym is an initial abbreviation that can be pronounced as a word. Making french nouns plural, however, takes a different tack when it comes to family names and nouns that end in s, x, or. Even if there is no real ambiguity, it will at least make the reader pause momentarily to check whether the apostrophe shows a plural or a possessive noun. Jun 02, 2016 in the past, some publications used apostrophes to make acronyms and abbreviations plural, so until a few years ago, it was common to see something like rbis or cds in the new york times. If you saw that on the menu at your favorite restaurant, theres a good chance youd just order a blt, not a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. Theres no strict rule about putting periods after each letter in an acronym or initialism. Fourth grade teacher, las vegas public school system whether you are a grammarphobe seeking guidance, a parent looking for a tutorial that your kids will enjoy and therefore use or a writer seeking a fun reference manual for frustrating recurring questions, grammar girls quick and. For questions not covered by this book, use the plural that websters new world college dictionary lists as most. Remember that phenomenon is singular by noting that the non at the end sounds like one.
How do you pluralize an acronym where the plural form of the word written out. Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility that the podcasts are known for, grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing covers the grammar rules and wordchoice guidelines that. Abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms grammar girl. Her tips are available in audio format as a podcast, in text format on her blog, and as a fulllength, comprehensive book that is informative and fun to read. The crux of the problem is that soss cannot serve as both a genitive. New york times bestselling author mignon fogarty shares her weekly grammar girl podcast and video tips about english, grammar, and writing. Find books like grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing from the worlds largest community of readers. Learn the differences among abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms. Jan 01, 2008 to the delight of word nerds everywhere, grammar girl s quick and dirty tips for better writing came out yesterday. This is a fine distinction that some consider nitpicking. Girls the possesive singular, as in the girls bike was new. One unusual use of the apostrophe is in plural acronyms, like icbms ngos and cds. Learn grammar girl with free interactive flashcards.
The book i recommend to eld students is grammar girl presents the ultimate writing guide for students. English grammar is the way in which meanings are encoded into wordings in the english language. Each entry starts with a simple explanation and basic examples before moving to real. Since this pattern violates the rule that apostrophes are not used before an s indicating a plural, many. The 2009 ap stylebooks plurals entry has no section on acronyms, but. Joan heminway, professor at the university of tennessee college of law, sent the following inquiry to me and one of her colleagues in commenting on student work, i have noticed over. Here is another excerpt from grammar girls newest book. If the name ends in s, like charles, we usually treat it like a singular noun and add s. Apostrophes and plurals grammar girl quick and dirty tips. It can be confusing, since its the rpart run that is becoming plural. This page has examples of plurals of abbreviations and an interactive exercise worksheet. Also, fogarty is okay with using their as a singular pronoun instead of his or her. How to make rbi plural grammar girl quick and dirty tips.
As she does in previous volumesgrammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing 2008 and the grammar devotional 2009fogarty affects an earnest and upbeat tone to dissuade those who think a grammar book has to be annoying, boring, and confusing and takes on the role of grammar guide, intent on demystifying grammar. Aug 28, 2018 grammar girl provides short, useful tips on grammar that are easy to remember and easy to put into practice. With very few exceptions, apostrophes do not make nouns plural. So with regard to acronyms initialisms ending in s, and assuming that s is correct for the end of the word, if the initialism actually ends in an s, is there a rule for whether this should be written as s or just for proper nouns ending in s, an apostrophe by itself is generally considered correct e. Possession johns car, a friend of mine english grammar. If the compound is pluralized, the plural morpheme attaches only to the second element, not to the first, or to both.
An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase, usually using individual initial letters, as in nato north atlantic treaty organization or eu european union, but sometimes using syllables, as in benelux belgium, netherlands and luxembourg, or a mixture of the two, as in radar radio detection and ranging. Generally, you dont use apostrophes to make words or abbreviations plural e. Grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing. Get grammar girls take on abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms. This book is wrote by mignon fogarty grammar girl is what she called herself. Rules regarding the formation of plurals english grammar. So with regard to acronymsinitialisms ending in s, and assuming that s is correct for the end of the word, if the initialism actually ends in an s, is there a rule for whether this should be written as s or.
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