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Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

where is it?

0Hi,02br
02br
00I have a phrase here used in a sentence, can you tell me why there is no apostrophe for "trousers"?02br
02br
01i00a piece of paper in your 01u00trousers02u00 pocket00 02i0-
  

Top answer

02br 02br 01i 00a piece of paper in your 01u 00trousers02u 00 pocket02i 00 01font 00'Trousers' is a noun that acts here as an adjective. This is commonly done. eg02font 02br 02br 01font 00my01i 00 jacket02i 00 pocket02font 02br 02br 01font 00a 01i 00government02i 00 decision02font 02br 02br 01font 00a 01i 00car 02i 00seat02font 02br 02br 01font 00(In North America, we say 'pants', not 'trousers')02font 02br 02br 01font 00Best wishes, Clive02font 02br 02br 01i 01font 02font 02i 0-

— Clive

  • 02br 02br 01i 00a piece of paper in your 01u 00trousers02u 00 pocket02i 00 01font 00'Trousers' is a noun that acts here as an adjective.
  • This is commonly done.
  • eg02font 02br 02br 01font 00my01i 00 jacket02i 00 pocket02font 02br 02br 01font 00a 01i 00government02i 00 decision02font 02br 02br 01font 00a 01i 00car 02i 00seat02font 02br 02br 01font 00(In North America, we say 'pants', not 'trousers')02font 02br 02br 01font 00Best wishes, Clive02font 02br 02br 01i 01font 02font 02i 0-
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7 Answers
0
1font00Hi,02font02br
02br
00can you tell me why there is no apostrophe for "trousers"?02br
02br
01i00a piece of paper in your 01u00trousers02u00 pocket02i00 01font00'Trousers' is a noun that acts here as an adjective. This is commonly done. eg02f
0
0
0Actually, the sentence would usually say "....in your trouser pocket". When used as an adjective in this way trousers is usually used in the singular. For example a 01b00trouser press.02b00 - Words that are used to signify items that are usually plural, like a pair of trousers are confusing in this way!02br
02br
00I hope that is not too complicated!0
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0
0Or "trouser stretcher", "trouser leg", "trouser snake", etc.02br
02br
00MrP 0-
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0
0 Okay, I give up. What's a "trouser snake"? 0-
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0
0 More often trouser worm in my experience. 0-
0
0
0 01blockquote
01cite10Khoff12cite10Okay, I give up. What's a "trouser snake"?12blockquote
10Mostly a great disappointment, to judge by Nona's post. 05002br
02br
00MrP010id7
0

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