The Intuitive Reasonings of Jessica

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
It's letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me so.

Dear English Major,

How do you pluralize the term "still life"? Still lives? Still lifes? Or do you just not pluralize it?

Sincerely,
Art Education Major

* * *

Dear Art Education Major,

"Still life" is actually short for "still life painting" (or drawing, or what have you--the point is, it's a descriptive phrase for a noun). To pluralize, you must then pluralize the noun. If you're talking about multiple media, you may want to use a broad term like "works". For example...

"Picasso made many still life works that mimic the tumultuous emotions following his traumatic break up with Andy Warhol's wife."

or

"Van Gogh's still life paintings leave many art connoisseurs scratching their bald heads in bewilderment, wondering what universal truth they're missing."

Of course, if you're writing more quizzes for your small children you may want to use less complex ideas and sentences.

Sincerely,
Communication Major