Grammer checker should not advise to use staffs as a plural.

G

Guest

The grammer checker does not recognize that staff is both singular and plural
so it advises to change staff to staffs inappropriately.

For example: Staff are going to the zoo. Grammer checker advises to change
it to Staffs are going to the zoo.

----------------
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http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...80d7a7&dg=microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
 
C

CyberTaz

I guess it depends on which language you use to check the grammar.

In U.S. English 'staff' is a collective noun - not singular *and* plural -
so, IIRC, correct usage would dictate that the correct verb agreement would
be 'is' rather than 'are', such as;

The staff is going to the zoo.
The members of our staff are going to the zoo.

Perhaps U.K. English grammar would consider as correct;

The staff are going to the zoo.

Additionally, the word 'staff' has more than one meaning & there's only so
much that any grammar checker can do in regard to contextual analysis.
 
J

JoAnn Paules [MVP]

In that usage, staff is a singular noun. It's being used as a collection of
people. It should read "The staff is going...". What if you had two long
wooden sticks? You would have two staffs and the staffs are made of wood.
Word doesn't recognize your specific usage as being something different.
Maybe you are sending sticks to the zoo. (Although if you are, I wouldn't
admit to that here. We'd make fun of you.)

It seems so easy to let Word make all of the corrections but this is a bit
like cruise control in your car. Your car can't determine when it should
slow down because of construction - you need to do that. Use spell and
grammar checks as a starting point, then fine tune the document manually to
your liking.
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

In addition to the suggestions made by Bob and JoAnn, note that before
making silly complaints about the imperfection of the grammar checker, you
might use the spelling checker to suggest the correct spelling of "grammar"
(mote--beam).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
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Gone Fishin said:
The grammer checker does not recognize that staff is both singular and plural
so it advises to change staff to staffs inappropriately.

For example: Staff are going to the zoo. Grammer checker advises to change
it to Staffs are going to the zoo.

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.
http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...80d7a7&dg=microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
 

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