Pain in the English
Pain in the English

Unpacking English, Bit by Bit

A community for questioning, nitpicking, and debating the quirks and rules of the English language.

Pain in the English
Pain in the English

Unpacking English, Bit by Bit

A community for questioning, nitpicking, and debating the quirks and rules of the English language.

Plurals

When using the parents in a sentence and referring to both of them, is the ‘ put before or after the s. For example I see you are selling your parents’ home.

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Comments

If you were to say "selling your parent's home", I would assume you meant one parent. Therefore "parents' home" seems more correct in that situation.

chad Sep-09-2004

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I agree. Well and briefly put.

speedwell2 Sep-10-2004

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Chad covered most of the bases, but I have one more point.

"Parent" can refer to "one parent or the other," as in "Disciplining the child is the parent's perogative." This just means "either parent" -- one or the other -- any person who can be referred to as a "parent."

Adam2 Sep-21-2004

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I agree.
parent = one parent
parents = two parents

parent's home is the home of one parent
parents' home is the home of both parents

ladylucy1 Sep-21-2004

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