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Natalie Petersen's avatar

This is excellent! I am the WORST when it comes to the plurals of last names and now I see it all so clearly.

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Laura Tietjen's avatar

Since I am not great at grammar this is excellent advice. And since I am not great at grammar, I have a question about family units who have different names. If there is only one Tietjen and three Moores who live together then how do you list the family? The Moores' and Tietjen family? The Tietjen and Moores' family? The Tietjen/Moore family (my preference)? All of the above? Could one address a letter to the Tietjen Moores, as well as to the Moore Tietjens? Since there are three Moores does the name always have to be plural? This is a puzzlement to me.

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Luisa Perkins's avatar

Great questions. I like your preference, and the latter options would work as well. You don't need the apostrophe at all unless you're going to use a possessive (like "the Tietjen Moores' apartment). I think "Tietjen Moores" flows better than Moore Tietjens, but it's up to you. Even if it were just the two of you, you'd be the Tietjen Moores, because you're a group. :)

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Laura Tietjen's avatar

Yes, I like Tietjen Moore better as well and use it often. But I use Tietjen/Moore the most often! Thank you for helping with the possessive...which I am sure to get wrong but hopefully less often!

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Anne-Marie Flygare's avatar

Excellent! Hey this is really helpful for me, thank you! What would I do when the last name ends in E? For example, my last name is Flygare. Would I say, “The Flygares”?

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Luisa Perkins's avatar

Yes, you are the Flygares! Easy peasy. <3

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