Written English

[AnnieC64]

Is it 5 or more year's practical experience or 5 or more years practical experience. Thanks

[JoolsTwo]

I would say - year's - I think.

[Quizmonster]

Actually, it is "Five or more years' practical experience." The apostrophe comes after the 's'...ie the form is plural.

[johnalex]

I would personally drop the apostrophe as this is suggesting 'of one year'. The sentence really means 5 years (of) practical experience, 'of' being understood. QM1 is gramatically correct but years' is not offered as an option and I think the tradition in recruitment is to disregard the possessive factor in terms of the apostrophe.

. . . . but let's all stay friends! ja

[Quizmonster]

I offered the correct version, John, specifically because it had not been listed!

[AnnieC64]

I didn't want to cause a fight!!! Thanks to all for your advice.

[Quizmonster]

There's no fight involved, Annie! The sentence actually means "the experience of five years"...ie the experience belongs to the years in effect... which is without a doubt plural. When changed to the "five years' experience" format, clearly the apostrophe must come after the final 's'.

[JoolsTwo]

I knew there was an apostrophe but I get confused as to where it goes. :-)

[johnalex]

Annie - See if you can punctuate this sentence:

> If is is not is and is not is not is not is not is is not and is not is <

[Jovica]

Quizmonster is right. No apostrophe.

[Paul21455]

Come on then johnalex, I'm intrigued. Let's see the sentence correctly punctuated, so that it makes sense.

[johnalex]

Hi Paul - Here's the answer, using capital letters to make it easier to explain:

If 'IS' is not 'IS' and 'IS NOT' is not 'IS NOT', is not 'IS' 'IS NOT' and 'IS NOT' 'IS' ? (meaning don't they swap over)

Try this with 'ON' and 'OFF' instead of 'IS' and 'IS NOT':

If 'ON' is not 'ON' and 'OFF' is not 'OFF', is not 'ON' 'OFF' and 'OFF' 'ON' ?