English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
PLURALISING COMPOUND NOUNS: DUAL PLURALISATION
She just found out about the *goings-on* in the company (standard).
She just found out about the *ongoings* in the company (standard).
If you describe events or activities as goings-on or ongoings, you mean that they are strange, interesting, amusing, or dishonest.
It’s not good to take three *spoonsful* of sugar (standard).
It’s wrong to take three *spoonfuls* of sugar (standard).
A spoonful is an amount held in a particular spoon.
Two *cupfuls* of warm milk should be enough (standard).
Two *cupsful* of warm milk should be enough (standard).
A cupful of something is the amount of something a cup can contain.
GAB
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