Apostrophes (i know, i apologise but please advise)

[littleducks]

I am normally good with apostrophes but am not really a stickler for grammar.

This looks wrong to me:

with over ten years? experience of

but then I am trying to justify it. Is the experience belonging to the ten years?

I think the years are plural and doesn't need an apostrophe.

What?

Some plurals most certainly do need apostrophes!

ten years' experience is right, OP

It's the experience of ten years, so yes, apostrophe after.

I'd suggest using capitals properly as well if you're posting in Pedants' Corner

Yes there should be an apostrophe. Ten years' experience implies ten years of experience - it should be "ten years' experience in" not "ten years' experience of"

Cartoon

Ten years ago definitely doesn't need an apostrophe, it's just a plural. More than one year.

That year's winter needs an apostrophe because it is a possessive. The winter belongs to the year.

One year's experience I think does need one because it is a kind of possessive. The experience belongs to the year.

So Ten years' experience because when a plural ends in an s and is also possessive we don't say years's, we just say years'

That's my guess.

Apologies about the capitals, I was just trying to ask a quick question!

Thanks for the advice.

Hahaha Trills - that cartoon is awesome. I especially love the end - "when in doubt, DON'T use an apostrophe!" Seems to me, everyone does the opposite of that.

Only unnecessary apostrophes in plurals, I hope, SayCool!

10 years' experience is correct.
As in the film Two weeks' Notice - where the apostrophe was missing!

But of course, Feenie.

I genuinely get a faster heart rate (in a bad way) when I see a sign that says "No dog's allowed"

"No dogs' bollocks allowed" would be fine, however

it is the experience belonging to the ten years, so yes, "ten years' experience" is correct.

otherwise people would point and laugh that you don't know how to use an apotrophe.

Trills - love the cartoon - especially as it allows both the pedants who say "charles's" and those who say "charles'" to be correct.

(i'm a "charles's")