It seems like a particular dance is called "Two-step". It gave me some doubts about how to spell step in the description of a method I use. If my method has two steps, should it be called a two step method or a two steps method?
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It should be called a two-step method, IMO.– Kristina LopezCommented Apr 18, 2014 at 16:44
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4For two reasons, 'two-step' is the correct option. First, the word 'step' is here being used metaphorically – one might even say as a unit. Units rarely pluralise as premodifiers (a three-ton elephant / a six-mile hike). Second, attributive nouns are rarely used in plural form in any case (a sweet shop (not sweets shop) / a log cabin / an animal shelter).– Edwin AshworthCommented Apr 18, 2014 at 16:49
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3In most cases, nouns modifying nouns should be singular. For instance, it's Shoe Store, with singular Shoe, even though people normally don't buy only one shoe there.– John LawlerCommented Apr 18, 2014 at 18:00
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1 Answer
Edwin Ashworth has already described the correctness better than I.
For two reasons, 'two-step' is the correct option. First, the word 'step' is here being used metaphorically – one might even say as a unit. Units rarely pluralise as premodifiers (a three-ton elephant / a six-mile hike). Second, attributive nouns are rarely used in plural form in any case (a sweet shop (not sweets shop) / a log cabin / an animal shelter).
But I wanted to add, it's not uncommon for methods or things to be called the "X Two-Step". So if your method is for squeezing a fruit to extract juice, you could call it the "Juice Two-Step". This is essentially a marketing technique playing peoples' familiarity with the dance moves.
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1As an aside, please don't accept this answer; Edwin deserves the credit, I just couldn't fit what I wanted to say into a comment. Commented Apr 18, 2014 at 20:20