Question

Can someone also help me with these two sentences too. I've been looking at them all day and I feel that there is nothing wrong with them but now I just don't know.

Toilet paper was first used in the 1300's.
The Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) provides legal oversight for the practices of nursing in the state of Ohio.

Answer 1

I don't see anything wrong with them other than I'm not sure that "practices" needs to be plural. If you want to keep it plural maybe change "the" to "all"?

Answer 2

i personally think that the only error is practices should be singular as in "practice"

Answer 3

I agree that it should probably be singular "practice." In the first sentence, I'd write 1300s instead of 1300's. Apostrophes are only rarely used for making something plural -- they're almost exclusively used in possessives.

Answer 4

To avoid "1300s" (I agree, no apostrophe), try "14th century." My main problem with the Ohio sentence is that it seems redundant. Otherwise, "practice" should be singular.

Answer 5

Thanks!! I appreciate the advice.

Answer 6

I think the first sentence is okay as is. As for the second sentence I agree with what everyone said about using "practice" instead of practices, but I would also add that the sentence itself seems more wordy than necessary. I would write it as follows:

"The Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) provides legal oversight for the nursing practice in the state of Ohio."

You might also write the following:

"Legal oversight for those who practice nursing in the state of Ohio is provided by the Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN)."

One thing to remember is out of context it's hard for us to judge what you are trying to say. Both your sentence and my rewrite are grammatically correct, however the sentence I wrote changes the emphasis of the sentence from "Ohio Board of Nursing" to "legal oversight." Which one would be appropriate depends on the context. :-)

I hope this helps!