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What is the best way to word the following sentence?

A diagnosis(es) and remedy(s) remain elusive as we continue to seek help from various medical professionals.

Since diagnosis ends in -is, should the parenthetical plural "diagnosis(es)" be something else? I could reword but it sounds a little...wordy. Plus, if not also spelled out, "remedy(s)" then seems inconsistent:

A diagnosis (or diagnoses) and remedy(s) remain elusive as we continue to seek help from various medical professionals.

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  • This is not actually a duplicate of the other question.
    – DJClayworth
    Commented Mar 14, 2022 at 3:21

1 Answer 1

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In the sentences you give, a parenthetical plural is completely unnecessary.

Diagnoses and remedies remain elusive as we continue to seek help from various medical professionals.

is perfectly good grammar, and makes it clear that all diagnoses and remedies are elusive - i.e. no single diagnosis or remedy has been found.

It would also be correct to use the singular:

A diagnosis and a remedy remain elusive as we continue to seek help from various medical professionals.

This means exactly the same thing.

Attempting to try to cover both the singular and plural is unnecessary.

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  • I love a simple solution. Thank you!
    – Annie
    Commented Mar 11, 2022 at 18:30
  • Absolutelyt. I remember trying to explain this use of a versus plurals so many times.
    – Lambie
    Commented Mar 11, 2022 at 19:50

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