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“Optionally” = “used so often that we might as well let it slip” ——– To form the plural of an abbreviation, a number, or a capital letter used as a noun, simply add an ‘s’ to the end.
- A group of MPs - The late 1940s - Mind your Ps and Qs
To form the plural of an abbreviation with periods, a lowercase letter used as a noun, and abbreviations or capital letters that would be ambiguous or confusing if the ‘s’ alone were added, use an apostrophe and an ‘s’.
- A group of M.P.’s - The x’s in the equation - Sending SOS’s”
#1 by Anonymous on November 2, 2005 - 4:54 am
From MIT, The Mayfield Handbook of Scientific and Technical Writing (http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:rwiF5jwy8vgJ:https://mit.imoat.net/handbook/apostrop.htm+apostrophe+plurals+acronyms&hl=en&lr=lang_en): “Optionally, use the apostrophe to form the plurals of acronyms and numbers. Be consistent, however, throughout a document. Always use the apostrophe to form the plurals of lowercase letters.”
#2 by Anonymous on November 2, 2005 - 6:48 am
“Optionally” = “used so often that we might as well let it slip”
——–
To form the plural of an abbreviation, a number, or a capital letter
used as a noun, simply add an ‘s’ to the end.
- A group of MPs
- The late 1940s
- Mind your Ps and Qs
To form the plural of an abbreviation with periods, a lowercase letter
used as a noun, and abbreviations or capital letters that would be
ambiguous or confusing if the ‘s’ alone were added, use an apostrophe
and an ‘s’.
- A group of M.P.’s
- The x’s in the equation
- Sending SOS’s”
#3 by Chris on November 2, 2005 - 6:52 am
I need to post the neon sign that reads “CDs and DVD’s” — definitely not consistent there!