One minute here, the next minute there. Where am I heading eh? Isn’t “minutes” the plural for “minute“? Well, yes and no.

• minute (n.) - unit of time which equals to 60 seconds
• * minute (adj.) - very tiny
• ** minutes (n.) – a written record of what is said at a meeting

Take note:

• * minute (adj.) is pronounced as [mai-niut], not [mi-nit].
• ** minutes (n.) is always plural, so don’t forget the “-s“.

Examples:

1. I will be ready in five minutes [mi-nits], so please wait.
2. The bacteria is so minute [mai-niut] that it could not be seen with a naked eye.
3. The minutes of the meeting must be distributed within two weeks. (√)
   The minute of the meeting must be distributed within two weeks. (X)

Do you have a minute to help me read the minutes of the previous meeting? The secretary’s handwriting is so minute that I need a magnifying glass to read it!