English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
PLURALISING COMPOUNDS
Some compound words are pluralised on the first word, some others on the second word and some others on both words. Examples are given below:
FIRST WORD:
Passer-by/passers-by
Director-general/directors-general
Parent-in-law/parents-in-law
Court-martial/courts-martial
Chief-of-staff/chiefs-of-staff
LAST WORD
Major General/Major Generals
Post office/post offices
Dining hall/dinning halls
Bye-law
Bye-laws
Boy Scout/Boy Scouts (note that both b and s should be capitalised in Boy Scout)
BOTH WORDS
Man student/men students
Gentleman farmer/gentlemen farmers
Man friend/men friends
Woman pilot/women pilots
Cupfuls/cupsful
Spoonfuls/spoonsful
