Grammar Question!

I'm reviewing some papers for teachers and one grammar rule I have a hard time keeping straight is the rule for plural letters.

Is it:

I received straight A's on my report card.
or
I received straight "A"s on my report card.

I usually see it the first way, but I think it's the second one, but I want to make sure so I don't make a fool of myself if I'm wrong!

If you're talking about a multiple of letters or numbers, there's no apostrope or quotes. It would be "I earned straight As." or "I love dancing to 80s music." If you're afraid "As" could be confusing, you could reword it to be "I earned an A in every course." Does that answer your question?

If you're talking about a multiple of letters or numbers, there's no apostrope or quotes. It would be "I earned straight As." or "I love dancing to 80s music."

Yeah!  It totally drives me crazy when I see shops that have CD's and DVD's for sale.  Makes me want to run around with a bucket of white-out...

Yeah!  It totally drives me crazy when I see shops that have CD's and DVD's for sale.  Makes me want to run around with a bucket of white-out...

I once saw a new black-on-white enamel sign outside public toilets in Bristol saying that "These toilet's are open between 10 and 4 on Sunday's" (or something like that) and I wrote a letter to Bristol City Council suggesting they sent a guy round with a pot of white paint and a little brush. Do you know what? They did!

Apostrophe abuse is a very bad thing!! Sheateawholepie is right about the straight As. However, '80s music should have an apostrophe before the 80. 

Yeah!  It totally drives me crazy when I see shops that have CD's and DVD's for sale.  Makes me want to run around with a bucket of white-out...

I seem to remember reading an article somewhere about a man who did just this! Went around with chalk and corrected signs everywhere he went. Sigh ... a man after my own heart.

Years ago the red double decked vehicles that you ride around London in were called 'buses (the apostrophe denoting the missing "omni"), and I have heard it said that it is OK to write photo's because really you mean photographs but I don't agree with that myself.

Also some authorities say it's OK to use apostrophes after numbers e.g. I buy my eggs in 12's (twelves) but again I am not happy with doing that.

Apostrophe abuse is a very bad thing!! Sheateawholepie is right about the straight As. However, '80s music should have an apostrophe before the 80. 

No, I meant the music from 80-89AD. Those Romans really knew how to rock!

No, I meant the music from 80-89AD. Those Romans really knew how to rock!

 

Thanks!

Growing up in the '80s, I was taught that "CD's" was infallibly correct, but times and acceptable grammar do change, and apparently, the way I was taught is horribly old-school. I will never let go of the Oxford comma, though! Never! 

No, I meant the music from 80-89AD. Those Romans really knew how to rock!

Growing up in the '80s, I was taught that "CD's" was infallibly correct, but times and acceptable grammar do change, and apparently, the way I was taught is horribly old-school. I will never let go of the Oxford comma, though! Never! 

I was taught the Oxford comma was optional. I always use it and most people I know also use the Oxford comma.

I was taught the Oxford comma was optional. I always use it and most people I know also use the Oxford comma.

Save the ink trees, spare the Oxford commas!

I was taught the Oxford comma was optional. I always use it and most people I know also use the Oxford comma.

I've spent a lot of time working in journalism and we lived by the AP Stylebook. So no Oxford comma for me! I prefer not to use it but as long as a person is consistent, I don't have a problem with it. I think I was taught to use it in school, but very few adults I know still do.

For the most part, I would always write things such as CDs, IRAs, CPUs; however, I'm not fond of three As because it could be confused with as.  This is one example where I would use a comma.