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As your debate goes on, I suggest you stop to address whether you
are discussing more than one car of each type or just a single
car of each type. If the former, than the first is correct. If
the latter, it would be the second.
Other than that method of determination, there is a rule for
hyphenated or open compounds, and that is to "make plural by the
addition of the plural inflection to the element that is the
subject to the change in number." (Chicago Manual of Style, 14th
Edition). Which would suggest that your "feelings" are accurate
and the second version is correct.
Kathi Jan Knill
Sr. Technical Writer
Template Software
Kathi -dot- Knill -at- Template -dot- com
You have to do what you love to do,
not get stuck in that comfort zone of
a regular job. Life is not a dress rehearsal.
This is it.
----- Original Message -----
From: David Chinell <dchinell -at- MSN -dot- COM>
To: <TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU>
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 1999 3:57 PM
Subject: Usage "types of car"
| Listers:
|
| Here's one that's being hotly debated in our
| department. None of us can find any authoritative
| answer.
|
| There are two types of cars on the road today.
| --or--
| There are two types of car on the road today.
|
| I favor the second version, as I feel "type" is
| the subject that must agree in number. I think we
| may have grown comfortable with the first version,
| since our ear almost glosses over the "types of"
| and wants to make "car" the subject, and hence
| plural.
|
| Lemme know what you think.
|
| Bear
|
|
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