What is the best way to word the following sentence?
A diagnosis(es) and remedy(s) remain elusive as we continue to seek help from various medical professionals.
Since diagnosis ends in -is, should the parenthetical plural "diagnosis(es)" be something else? I could reword but it sounds a little…wordy. Plus, if not also spelled out, "remedy(s)" then seems inconsistent:
A diagnosis (or diagnoses) and remedy(s) remain elusive as we continue to seek help from various medical professionals.
Best Answer
In the sentences you give, a parenthetical plural is completely unnecessary.
is perfectly good grammar, and makes it clear that all diagnoses and remedies are elusive - i.e. no single diagnosis or remedy has been found.
It would also be correct to use the singular:
This means exactly the same thing.
Attempting to try to cover both the singular and plural is unnecessary.