眾所周知，在英語中要把一個名詞變成複數，只要在這個詞的後面加上“s”就行了。不過，當一個名詞變成了由幾個名片語成的片語時，就讓人摸不著頭腦了。舉個例子，如果你要表示自行車商店的複數形式，你是用“bicycles shop”還是“bicycle shops”?在表示授權書的.複數時，你是說“power of attorneys”還是“powers of attorney”?
The answers are bicycle shops and powers of attorney.
正確的說法是“bicycle shops”和“powers of attorney”。
The rule is that you pluralise the “head” of the term.
名詞片語複數變化的規則就是：變“重點詞”。
The term bicycle shop is typical of most noun groups. The “head” is the last word in the group. The previous word or words act as an adjective. So the last word in the group is pluralised. Here are some more examples:
“自行車商店”這個名詞片語是一個很典型的例子。在這個片語中，重點詞是最後一個詞，即商店(shop);前面的詞或者片語只是起到了一個形容詞的修飾作用而已。因此，在這個片語中，最後一個詞變成了複數形式。更多類似的例子：
Bank account => Bank accounts
銀行賬戶
Company car => Company cars
公司用車
Price limit => Price limits
價格限制
Termination notice => Termination notices
終止通知
Service charge payment => Service charge payments
服務費收費
Employee share option scheme => Employee share option schemes
僱員股份認購權計劃
However, a term like power of attorney acts rather differently. Power is the “head” and of attorney is an adjectival phrase which describes the “head”. Here are some other examples of terms that behave in the same way:
然而，像授權書這樣的片語就又是另外一番解釋了。在這個片語中，重點詞是權利(power)，律師(attorney)一詞只是用來充當形容詞的修飾成分。
Article of association => Articles of association
更多類似的例子：
Code of conduct => Codes of conduct
公司章程
Conflict of interest => Conflicts of interest
行為守則
Course of action => Courses of action
利益衝突
Notary public => Notaries public
行動步驟
Statement of claim => Statements of claim
公證人
起訴書
