s or (s) or nothing?

Subject: s or (s) or nothing?
From: Lori Lathrop <76620 -dot- 456 -at- COMPUSERVE -dot- COM>
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 1994 10:25:12 EDT

Barb -- I agree with you that using "(s)" raises questions concerning the
tense of the following verb, and "... detector or detectors sense ..." is
too wordy and awkward. I'd suggest this alternative:

"Secondary detectors sense the position of the strip ...."

"The" isn't really necessary at the beginning of the sentence, and I think
the sentence not only looks better without it but, also, it seems to imply
(to me, anyway) that "detectors" may refer to one or more.

Lori Lathrop --------------> INTERNET:76620 -dot- 456 -at- compuserve -dot- com
Lathrop Media Services
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