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People resent their returns to campus.

People resent their return to campus.

Should it be "returns," since each person is returning, and so there are multiple peoples returning? Or "return," since we are referring to people at large?

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socrates
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    https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/131430/should-a-noun-after-the-determiner-their-take-in-the-form-of-singular-or-of-pl – mplungjan Sep 14 '17 at 21:25
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    The professor was studying tax policy and wanted some data. In response to his request, people resent their returns to campus. – Hot Licks Oct 01 '17 at 02:20
  • @HotLicks They lifted not a finger for the university's traditions as students; as alumni, however, those fingers are constantly wagging at the current faculty and students for the state of the place. Perhaps the top fundraisers in the administration look forward to their reunion weekends, but most people resent their returns to campus. – choster Oct 31 '17 at 04:24

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As Macmillan says, this sense of return is non-count:

[SINGULAR/UNCOUNTABLE] a situation in which you go back to a place or come back from a place

return from: Harry had met Olivia shortly after his return from India.

return to: Back at the hotel, John was packing for his return to London.

on someone’s return (from/to something): On her return to England, she published an account of her travels.

So it's

John looked forward to his return to campus

and

The students looked forward to their return to campus.

Edwin Ashworth
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