Show rr r II II 1 j Take Cake fit m a Word II IIII I III i ii Ij II II i For F or U 1 ji ii 1 Vii II By FRANK COLBY II i d HANDBOOK OF t PRACTICAL ENGLISH i e e a e a Q In Q In our office we have almost me r-me r me to blows over the word whereabouts Is it singular or plural A. A Whereabouts A.-Whereabouts is a peculiar word It is plural in form torm but since it means the place where a person or thing is it must be treated as asa asa asa a singular for obviously a thing cannot be in more than one place at ata ata ata a time Correct His whereabouts is known On the other hand headquarters is customarily used as a plural noun as His headquarters are in New York e Q There There has been much discus discus- discussion discussion discussion sion among amon us concerning the use of any any more in In such sentences was as as John nice to me any more Please discuss A. A Use A.-Use Use of any more to mean still now nowadays is dialectal and it appears to have originated in inthe inthe the thc North Central States It is fre fre- frequently frequently frequently heard in parts of Indiana Any more is correctly used in negative n sentences as John is not nice to me any more I do not need any more help Q Our Our English class asks that you give the rule for forming the plurals of such compound words as attorney at law mother-in-law mother etc A. A A-A A A safe rule to follow tollow is to pluralize the noun part of the words In such compounds as attorney at nt law mother law right fight of way commander in chief the noun parts are attorney mother right com com- mander The phrases at law in- in inlaw inlaw inlaw law of way in chief act as ad ad- adjectives adjectives adjectives in that they describe the noun parts Therefore the correct plurals are attorneys at law moth moth- law in rights of way command command- commanders ers in chief chie Form the possessives thus attorneys attorneys attorneys at laws law's mothers laws commanders in chiefs chief's etc Bell Syndicate Features Feature |