Apostrophe Placement with "Dos and Don'ts"
- There are too many and's in your sentence. (Of course, there are other ways to show the plural of "and" without using an apostrophe, but they are often unwieldy. Using an apostrophe to show an awkward plural is an unpopular style, but it is condoned by all the leading grammar references.)
- There are two a's, two o's, and two m's in "accommodation."
The Quick Answer
The best plural of "do and don't" is "dos and don'ts."Different Versions of "Dos and Don'ts"
Here are five different versions of the term dos and don'ts ordered from most recommended to least recommended:(1) dos and don'ts
Justification. This version uses standard plurals, which is a positive point. (Remember that using an apostrophe for an awkward plural is an unpopular convention.) The apostrophe has nothing to do with forming a plural. It marks the missing "o" in the contraction "don't."Assessment. This is the most popular version. It is the version we recommend.
(2) DOs and DON'Ts
Justification. This version uses standard plurals and capitalization to highlight the words being pluralized. "Dos and don'ts" is often a title, meaning capitalization is an option.Assessment. This is a popular version. It will not annoy your readers.
(3) do's and don't's
Justification. This version uses an apostrophe for the plural of "do" and "don't's," which means it is consistent and, technically, correct. However, "don't's" looks too unwieldy.Assessment. As using an apostrophe for a plural is an unpopular convention and "don't's" looks awful. This version is not recommended.
(4) do's and don'ts
Justification. This version uses an apostrophe for the plural of "do" but not for the plural of "don't." It is therefore inconsistent. It does, however, make "dos" easier to read, which is the advantage of using an apostrophe for an awkward plural.Assessment. This is a commonly seen version. Writers are attracted to the balanced look of an apostrophe in each of the principal words. For many writers, this is the version that looks the neatest. However, it is also a version that will irk your grammar-savvy readers.
(5) do's and dont's
Justification. This version uses an apostrophe for the plural of "do" and "don't," which, technically, is acceptable. To achieve a balanced look, the writer has removed the apostrophe from the contraction "don't."Assessment. This is unacceptable."Dont" is not a word. This version is wrong.
You might also like...
Capital letters in advertisements
Using capital letters with proper and common nouns
Capital letters with the four seasons
Capital
letters with moons, stars and planets
Capital letters start sentences
What is title case?
Test on using capital letters
Help us improve...
Was something wrong with this page?
Use #gm to find us quicker.
Create a QR code for this, or any, page.
teachers' zone
play:
match the pairs (parts of speech) hundreds more games and testsread:
parts-of-speech listsconfirmatory test
This test is printable and sendable