Apostrophe With Plural of Numbers and Capitalized Abbreviations
The Apostrophe
Rulebase Summary
The plurals of numbers and capitalized abbreviations can be written without an apostrophe and s if there is no chance of misreading. When abbreviations are lowercased, use the apostrophe and s. The trend is to omit the apostrophe for numbers and capitalized abbreviations, but some writers still include it.
Examples
A. She earned two PhD's from Ivy League schools.
A. She earned two PhDs from Ivy League schools.
Capitalized abbreviations can be pluralized without an apostrophe when there is no chance of misreading.
A. The temperatures were in the low 100s during the 1990s.
A. The temperatures were in the low 100s during the 1990s.
Numbers are typically pluralized without an apostrophe — the trend favors omitting it.
Transcript Notes
The apostrophe for plural numbers is optional — select a consistent style with or without it. The trend is toward omitting the apostrophe. When a year needs an apostrophe for omission AND the number is being made plural, use the apostrophe for omission rather than the plural (e.g., the '90s rather than the 90's) to distinguish between decade references and temperature/weather references.
Style Guide References (4)
Morson's
BGGP
BGGP
BGGP