Countable noun with irregular plural form

Question

How can I express a countable noun together with its irregular plural form? For example, we may have the following sentence:

Find all critical point(s) of this function.

Since we do not know if the function has one or more critical points, we use the expression "point(s)".

What if the noun has an irregular plural form?

For example, should one say

Find all maximum/maxima of the function.

instead of using the parenthesis as we did in "point(s)"?

Writing it is not saying it. Write what you say. There are no slashes in speech. — tchrist, Oct 04 '19 at 20:56
I would replace"all" with "the" so it makes sense for singular use. — , Oct 04 '19 at 21:32
Do not complicate. All always takes the plural, even if that has the ultimate possibility of being more than one, one, or none. — Kris, Oct 05 '19 at 08:29

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 04 '19 at 21:30

2

Parenthetical plural is mainly used in statements, not when trying to determine the number of something. In the latter context we just use ordinary plural, and it's understood that the result might be just a single item.

So you would write

Find all the critical points of this function.
Find all the maxima and minima of the function.

answered Oct 04 '19 at 21:30

Barmar

20,741
1
38
59

Thanks! And how to use parenthetical plural when the noun has an irregular plural form? – Zuriel Oct 04 '19 at 21:33
1

I think you just don't bother, it's too clumsy. – Barmar Oct 04 '19 at 21:35
So just use the plural form? – Zuriel Oct 04 '19 at 21:36
Yes, that's what would be done. – Barmar Oct 04 '19 at 21:36
Thank you for your answer! – Zuriel Oct 04 '19 at 21:37
This answer differs, though: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/12668/how-to-write-a-parenthetical-plural-when-the-noun-pluralizes-irregularly – Barmar Oct 04 '19 at 21:38
Awkward example, since a function with 5 maxima still may have only one maximum. And it might not coincide with any of them. – Phil Sweet Oct 05 '19 at 00:17
"Find all the maxima of the function." Only the maxima. – Kris Oct 05 '19 at 08:30
See also, my comment at OP. – Kris Oct 05 '19 at 08:30

Countable noun with irregular plural form

1 Answers1