5 as yet Yet is nearly always as good, if not better. • We don’t know the verdict yet. • NOT We don’t know the verdict as yet. athletic (adj.), athletics (noun) The singular form is the correct adjective. • The athletic boy played tennis, soccer, and golf. • She is athletic. The adjectival form, however, sounds odd in relation to programs (seeming to suggest, for example, that they are in good cardiovascular condition). Consequently, using the noun as an adjective is acceptable in a case such as • We are proud of our athletics programs. The noun athletics usually takes a plural verb. • Our athletics are the envy of every other local university. When writing fund-raising copy about avid sports enthusiasts, avoid the unfortunate phrase athletic supporters, or the more correct athletics supporters. attributive nouns Attributive nouns modify other nouns, such as state roads, harvest moon, and prison guard. When these forms are used in the plural possessive, they can get tricky. For instance, should it be boys room or boys’ room? What about teachers lounge vs. teachers’ lounge? Although varying opinions exist on this subject, the Chicago Manual of Style says, “although terms denoting group ownership or participation sometimes appear without an apostrophe (i.e., as an attributive rather than a possessive noun), Chicago dispenses with the apostrophe only in proper (often corporate) names that do not officially include one. In a few established cases, a singular noun can be used attributively; if in doubt, choose the plural possessive.” • farmers’ market • women’s soccer team • boys’ clubs • veterans’ organizations • taxpayers’ associations • consumers’ group Exceptions are made for words that don’t take an s in plural form. • women’s room • children’s store Exceptions are also made for proper nouns, such as the names of companies or agencies. • Publishers Weekly • Diners Club • Department of Veterans Affairs audio– Words like audiocassette and audiovisual are closed and do not take hyphens. a while, awhile With for or any other preposition, use two words; otherwise, use one word. • We rested for a while. • We rested awhile.
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