need help with spelling, is it lot's or lots

ktb

j.e.j. wrote: »

....you could write patients' complaints, as in complaints belonging to (more than one) patient.

That is what I had written j.e.j, as I meant complaints belonging to multiple patients. But OH's Mum removed the apostrophe saying that it was grammatically incorrect *confused*

ktb

KiKi wrote: »

I get what he's saying, but it would be singular not plural in that case: "patient complaints".

Ahhh ok... that makes a bit more sense.

fluffnutter

ktb wrote: »

One that threw me recently, was when writing "patients complaints".

In my head the complaints belonged to the patients, so I couldn't work out if a ' was required. However my OH's Mum, who used to be an English teacher advised that it was just a plural with no punctuation. Can someone explain that one to me?

I can't agree with your OH's mum. I think an apostrophe would be needed. Depending on context, "patients' complaints" (the collective complaints of all the patients) or "patient's complaints" (the multiple complaints of a single patient) would be correct.

However, you often see the apostrophe dropped in this context, particularly on signs. I was at the hospital the other day and saw a sign stating 'Childrens ward'. Laziness really, I guess.

*max*

reeree wrote: »

thank you for that it was really helpful, l wonder if you could help with the words thank you, in what context would you use thankyou as apposed to thank you

"thankyou" is a noun, as in "he gave the audience a big thankyou". Sometimes it is also hyphenated ("thank-you").

"thank you" is a verb ( to thank) + object (you) as in "I thank you", "Thank you for this".

Basically you could say "I thank you for giving me so many thankyous".

fluffnutter

ktb wrote: »

That is what I had written j.e.j, as I meant complaints belonging to multiple patients. But OH's Mum removed the apostrophe saying that it was grammatically incorrect *confused*

She's wrong (based on what you've told us).

KiKi

ktb wrote: »

That is what I had written j.e.j, as I meant complaints belonging to multiple patients. But OH's Mum removed the apostrophe saying that it was grammatically incorrect *confused*

See my post above. I'm trying to think of a singular word ending in s as an example, but my mind has gone blank.

Okay, let's say you have a supplier company called "Hays".

You could have a box saying "Hays complaints". Not complaints from Hays (which would require an apostrophe) but complaints about Hays.

The s is okay, because it's a name or a singular which happens to end in s.

In the case you have quoted, an apostrophe *would* be required because it's an plural possessive.

Does that make sense? (And if anyone can think of a singular ending in s so I can give a better example, let me know!!)

fluffnutter

KiKi wrote: »

See my post above. I'm trying to think of a singular word ending in s as an example, but my mind has gone blank.

Okay, let's say you have a supplier company called "Hays".

You could have a box saying "Hays complaints". Not complaints from Hays (which would require an apostrophe) but complaints about Hays.

The s is okay, because it's a name or a singular which happens to end in s.

In the case you have quoted, an apostrophe *would* be required because it's an plural possessive.

Does that make sense? (And if anyone can think of a singular ending in s so I can give a better example, let me know!!)

There are lots but they're so obviously singulars and not plurals (unlike 'patients' which is clearly a plural) that they don't make good examples because the confusion wouldn't arise.

E.g. address, boss, abyss.

KiKi

Okay, now I have a slightly better example.

"Olympics T-shirts". Olympics is already a singular ending in "s" (as both Olympic and Olympics are singular). They are not T-shirts belonging to the Olympics. In this case no apostrophe is correct.

Sounds like your OH's mum may have seen something like that and misunderstood. Or just doesn't know what apostrophes do. One of the two!

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

reeree wrote: »

when writing lots of love etc do you write lots or lot's, l need to know for my grandsons essay weve looked online but can't find anything, thanks for any help in advance

You've had lots (:)) of useful advice but I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Lot's wife who was allegedly turned into a pillar of salt for the improper use of apostrophes.

KiKi

Fruit_and_Nut_Case wrote: »

You've had lots (:)) of useful advice but I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Lot's wife who was allegedly turned into a pillar of salt for the improper use of apostrophes.

Do you know, I very nearly did!! And then I thought no-one would know who Lot was, so I didn't bother!! :rotfl: