Re: Plural Problem

[John Burgdorf <john -dot- burgdorf -at- AUTODESK -dot- COM>]

     If it's not forbidden by your style guidelines, and if --as you
     imply-- the buttons are explicitly labeled "Reset" and "Init", you
     could even more cleanly say:

       Press Reset, and then press Init.

     and, by extension:

        Press Reset, and then Init.

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Plural Problem
Author:  Gordon Moore <gmoore2 -at- isma -dot- com> at SMTPCC3
Date:    8/7/96 12:51 PM


Can someone help settle an argument, please?

The situation is this.  The manual is describing a reset of a piece of
hardware.  The process is to press one button labelled "Reset" and then to
press a second button labelled "Init."  Should the sentence go:

Press the "Reset" and then the "Init" buttons.
  or
Press the "Reset" and then the "Init" button.
  or
Press the "Reset" button, and then the "Init" button.

I guess the last is the clearest, but I don't like the repetition.  The second
could sound like "Reset" is not a button; and the first sounds like "Init" is
more than one button.

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