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Question

Difficulty: MediumNouns and Noun Phrases

Complete the sentence below by filling in the blank with the correct plural form of the compound noun.

Answer:Several 【passers-by】 rushed to assist the victims of the road accident before the emergency medical team arrived on the scene.

Answer

passers-by
The correct answer is 'passers-by' because in compound nouns consisting of a head noun followed by an adverb or prepositional particle (such as 'passer-by', 'looker-on', or 'runner-up'), the plural suffix '-s' must be added to the principal noun component rather than the particle.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structure of the compound noun
The compound noun consists of a primary noun ('passer') and a prepositional particle ('by').
Determining which element carries the main nominal headword is necessary for correct plural inflection.
2
Apply the pluralization rule for hyphenated compound nouns
Attach the plural suffix '-s' to the principal noun component, yielding 'passers-by'.
In compound words formed by a noun followed by a preposition or particle, the principal noun takes the plural marker, not the attached particle.

Key Concept

Pluralization of Hyphenated Compound Nouns
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Nouns and Noun Phrases

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