
Creating plurals would be a snap if it were always as simple as adding s or es to a noun. But we all know the English language isn’t that simple.
What’s a person to do with compound nouns? Is it daughter-in-laws or daughters-in-law? Attorneys general or attorney generals? Passerbys or passersby?
The general rule—regardless of whether the compound noun is hyphenated, two words, or closed up—is to make the principal word plural. Another way to think of it is to pluralize the element that is subject to change in number.
Thus daughters-in-law, attorneys general, and passersby are the appropriate plurals.
In the case of two-word compounds, look for the most significant word regardless of placement. Continue Reading…