The meeting of the … will come later today.

Analyze the question

The question tests the correct plural form of a compound noun. The sentence is: "The meeting of the ......... will come later today."

Explain the concept

In compound nouns made up of a noun plus a postpositive adjective (a word that comes after the noun), the main noun takes the plural "s", not the adjective. Some examples:

• Attorney General → Attorneys General
• Governor-General → Governors-General
• Director General → Directors General
• Secretary General → Secretaries General

The word "secretary" is the noun and "general" describes its rank. So we pluralise "secretary" to secretaries (y changes to ies after a consonant).

Work through the options

• A. secretaries general: correct. The main noun is pluralised properly, and "of the" needs no possessive here because "meeting of the ..." already shows the relationship.
• B. secretary generals: wrong. The wrong word is pluralised, and "secretary" is left unchanged.
• C. secretary generals': wrong. It pluralises the wrong word and adds an unnecessary apostrophe.
• D. secartary general's: wrong. "Secartary" is misspelt, and the possessive is not needed after "of the".

Answer

The correct option is A. secretaries general.

Tip: In compound nouns like mother-in-law, attorney general and secretary general, always pluralise the main noun (the first word, which names the person or thing). That gives mothers-in-law, attorneys general and secretaries general. The "of the" structure already shows the relationship, so you don't need an apostrophe.