Rules for placing -s at the end of words.

Question

Hello!
I am new to this site. I am trying to help someone with their writing skills and I noticed that they consistently make an error placing an -s at the end of certain words and also leaving off the -s on other words needing it. I don't quite know how to explain the rules beyond the basic: (1) add -s to make the word plural, (2) add appostrophe -s to show possession, and (3) add -s when forming the 3rd person singular of present tense.

Below are some of the sentences that I am struggling in trying to explain that are incorrect:

Eliminating cell phones usage in movie theaters are reasonable enough.

Setting up schedules for doctor appointments, important meetings, or pick up time these are some things people use their cell phones for.

The fact that city council is considering a proposal that would ban the use of cell phones in privately owned businesses such as movie theaters seem resonable enough.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Hello;
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You are correct with the -s endings.

I'm not sure what mistakes yo are trying to explain, but here are the corrected sentences.

1) Eliminating cell phone usage in movie theaters is reasonable enough.
a) cell phone is an modifier of the noun "usage." Nouns used to modify other nouns are singular.
eg.
horse farm, not horses farm
baby stroller, not babies stroller
face painting, not faces painting.
b ) the subject of the sentence is a gerund clause, gerund clauses are always singular.
eg.
Smoking cigars is not allowed in the restaurant.

2) Setting up schedules for doctor appointments, important meetings, or pick up times -- these are some things people use their cell phones for.

The gerund "setting up schedules" is singular, and the person is obviously trying to make a list of multiple things that a cell phone is used for.
They need to make the subject (or predicate) plural by converting the compound object of the preposition "for" to a compound noun phrase.
Here is one possibility:

Some things people use their cell phones for. are a) setting up doctors appointments, b) scheduling important meetings, and c) arranging for pick-up times.

3)
The fact that city council is considering a proposal that would ban the use of cell phones in privately owned businesses such as movie theaters seems reasonable enough.

Again, you need to discover the real subject. Is it singular or plural?

The fact seems reasonable enough.

Everything after "fact" and before the verb "seems" is a relative clause, modifying "fact". It describes what you mean by "fact."

Anonymous · Answer

The following are correct:

1. Eliminating cell phone usage in movie theaters is reasonable enough. This error - eliminating cell phones usage - is very often made by native speakers. Here you're using cell phone, a noun, as an adjective, and adjectives are not declined in English. For example: The red shoes. Not: The reds shoes.

The group of words, "Eliminating cell phone usage in movie theaters," functions as a noun, and such nouns are singular, taking a singular verb.

2. Setting up schedules for doctors' appointments, important meetings, or pick up times, these are some things people use cell phones for. "Doctor appointments: is not correct. Nouns are often used adjectivally like this, but not the word "doctor." Tradition requires "doctors' appointments." It needs to be "pick up times" since the previous nouns, appointments and meetings, are plural. A comma is required after "times."

3. The fact that the city council is considering a proposal that would ban the use of cell phones in privately owned businesses, such as movie theaters, is an indication of the prevalence, and overuse, of cell phones today. The word "city council" requires "the," except when it is used adjectivally (e.g.: He attends city council meetings regularly.). Commas required before such and is. The original sentence, ending with "seems reasonable enough," doesn't really make sense.

Rules for placing -s at the end of words.

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