Question

What is the correct way to use the possessive plural in English: is it "the parents' evening" or "the parents evening"?

2023-04-18

This is what goPenpal answered

Great question! The correct way to use the possessive plural in English is "the parents' evening." Here's why:

When you're talking about something that belongs to multiple parents, you need to use the plural form of the word "parent" and then add an apostrophe after the final "s." This is called the possessive plural.

For example, if you're talking about a toy that belongs to two parents, you would say "the parents' toy," not "the parent's toy" (which would suggest that only one parent owns the toy).

Similarly, when you're talking about an event that's intended for multiple parents, you should use the possessive plural. "The parents' evening" means that the event is meant for all of the parents attending. If you said "the parent's evening," it would suggest that the event is intended for just one parent, which is likely not the case.

To recap: Use the possessive plural when talking about something that belongs to or is intended for multiple people. In this case, the correct way to say it is "the parents' evening."

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