"a minor in both" or "minors in both"

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nikkiwu

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I am currently writing a cover letter and I want to introduce about what I have been studying in college. Since I have two minors in both Math and Finance, I got confused about how to put them together in one sentence but don't make it sound weird.


Grammatically, I think it should be right as follow,
"As a major in Accounting and minors in both Math and Finance at XXX College, I believe that...."

Someone told me that the above sentence sound weird and should be written as follow,
"As a major in Accounting and a minor in both Math and Finance at XXX College, I believe that ....."

Can anyone help me to rephrase it? or tell me which way is correct?
Thank you very much.
 

nikkiwu

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I am currently writing a cover letter and I want to introduce about what I have been studying in college. Since I have two minors in both Math and Finance, I got confused about how to put them together in one sentence but don't make it sound weird.


Grammatically, I think it should be right as follow,
"As a major in Accounting and minors in both Math and Finance at XXX College, I believe that...."

Someone told me that the above sentence sound weird and should be written as follow,
"As a major in Accounting and a minor in both Math and Finance at XXX College, I believe that ....."

Can anyone help me to rephrase it? or tell me which way is correct?
Thank you very much.
 

riquecohen

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I am currently writing a cover letter and I want to introduce about what I have been studying in college. Since I have two minors in both Math and Finance, I got confused about how to put them together in one sentence but don't make it sound weird.


Grammatically, I think it should be right as follow,
"As a major in Accounting and minors in both Math and Finance at XXX College, I believe that...."

Someone told me that the above sentence sound weird and should be written as follow,
"As a major in Accounting and a minor in both Math and Finance at XXX College, I believe that ....."

Can anyone help me to rephrase it? or tell me which way is correct?
Thank you very much.
I would say "As a major in Accounting with minors in both......" That how we used to say it when I was in college in the Middle Ages.
 

Raymott

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I am currently writing a cover letter and I want to introduce about what I have been studying in college. Since I have two minors in both Math and Finance, I got confused about how to put them together in one sentence but don't make it sound weird.


Grammatically, I think it should be right as follow,
"As a major in Accounting and minors in both Math and Finance at XXX College, I believe that...."

Someone told me that the above sentence sound weird and should be written as follow,
"As a major in Accounting and a minor in both Math and Finance at XXX College, I believe that ....."

Can anyone help me to rephrase it? or tell me which way is correct?
Thank you very much.
Just leave out 'both', and use 'with'.
"As a major in Accounting with minors in Math and Finance at XXX College, I believe that ....."

Phrases like "two minors in both Math and Finance" can be ambiguous, since it could imply you have four minors.
 

marriageman

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Though it's not as smoothe, you could also say:

I am minoring in Math and Finance, respectively.

But I like Nikkiwu's version better.
 

riquecohen

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You posted this same thread on the Ask a Teacher forum three minutes before you posted this one. It is neither necessary nor an economical use of time (yours and those reading the posts) to post the same thread on two forums within minutes of each other.
 

Barb_D

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I've merged the threads.
 

Raymott

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Though it's not as smoothe, you could also say:

I am minoring in Math and Finance, respectively.
I'd call that a wrong use of "respectively".
You could say, "I got an A and a B in Math and Finance, respectively."

The correct use of this word has been discussed here a few times.
 
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Barb_D

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I'd call that a wrong use of "respectively".
You could say, "I got an A and a B in Math and Finance, respectively."

The correct use of this word has been discussed here a few times.

So would I, and I meant to post on it, but I merged the threads instead and lost my train of thought. Two tasks in a row is apparently too much to remember.
 
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