Should it be CDs or CD's?

Question

A quick grammar question: Compact Discs is plural, which would indicate that CDs should have no apostrophe, but then the apostrophe could be used to replace the missing i, s and c in Discs. Which is correct? CDs or CD's? (or another I'm not thinking of?)

Answer 1

The mentions of the apostrophe being used to show a missing letter are misleading. There isn't a missing letter in 'CDs'. CD stands for Compact Disc, not Compact Discs. One CD, 2 CDs.

On top of that, it's normal to deal with an abbreviation as if it were a word in its own right. So you have one Member of Parliament (one MP). But 2 Members of Parliament (2 MPs). So although the plural 's' goes on the first word, it still goes at the end of the abbreviation.

Answer 2

Fine that it's possessive, but the point of the apostrophe is also to indicate that there is missing letters. 'it's' indicates the missing 'i' in 'is'. Most of the arguments don't indicate why the missing letters are not apostrophised in the plural of CD, and I believe that is because the abbreviation is accepted 'as is' and no apostrophised use of an abbreviation is required. The plural therefore is of 'D', not discs. In hymn books shortened words still use the apostrophe even though they are non-possessive - i.e 'whe'ever' for where ever, but this is a shortened word as opposed to an abbreviation. The abbreviation is an act an assumed knowledge of the removal of words, and therefore it is not required to indicate further by adding the apostrophe.

Answer 3

CD's indicates the possessive. Plural is normally indicated my the simple addition of s. The CD's box would mean the box of the CD. The use of the apostrophe can also indicate a missing letter as in isn't where the ' indicates the missing o

Answer 4

Both are correct. You only need an apostrophe if the word is confusing without one:

ex. I get all As in school. The "As" should be "A's" because "As" is a word.



Then if you have more things like that in your sentence, like DVDs and TVs, you need to be consistent. You can't say "I bought CD's and DVDs." You either have to always use an apostrophe or not use it at all.

Answer 5

CDs of course unless you are speaking of something the cd owns eg its cover its blog its rack. If you remember when the apostrophe is inside the word, it is possessive, eg. the word is possessing the apostrophe, there for it relates to ownership of something, my girlfriend's car, the car of my girlfriend. My girlfriends and I are going to the shop, relates to a number of people going to the shop, who are all female and friends of yours.

Answer 6

CDs, is pleural talking about a group of something, e.g My CDs are great.



CD's, is describing or talking about 1. eg, This CD's great`.



The apostrophe s, is used instead of using `CD is`.



Hope that makes sense

Answer 7

CD's indicates a posessive of the CD (e.g. the CD's liner notes)

CDs is the plural of CD indicating more than 1 CD.

Answer 8

Depends on the context actually.



I've got multiple CDs.



Can't actually think of a sentence for "CD's", maybe it IS just CDs.

Answer 9

CDs, plural; 10 CDs.



CD's, possesive; the CD's first track

Answer 10

I usually see it written as CDs.

Answer 11

don't confuse yourself, it's CDs for the plural.



otherwise; it'll be a possessive and must then be followed by a noun.

Answer 12

CDs. However it would also be correct to say "that CD's skipping again".

Answer 13

CDs

Answer 14

CDs

Answer 15

CDs

Answer 16

CDs, as, you have noted, it is not possessive.

Answer 17

although the isc is missing as you correctly point out it is an anacromin which doesn't an aphostrophe you don't see N'S'P'C'C' for example or infact C'D's.

Answer 18

It doesn't depend on the context. It depends on the particular rules of style and grammar that you are sticking to.

Answer 19

compact disks or compact disk's .. you are a better judge of this I guess

Answer 20

YOUR NOT SERIOUS ARE YOU?



WHAT A FREAKIN DUMB QUESTION