Where do they go?

There are two hyphens and two apostrophes missing in this paragraph from Yahoo! Finance. Do you know where they go?

target finance

Correct! The hyphens belong in three-month (it’s a compound adjective modifying search) and 55-year-old. The apostrophes belong in what the Associated Press calls quasi possessives: ten years’ and three years’.

2 Responses to “Where do they go?”

  1. Susan Says:

    I’ll buy the two missing hyphens and the first missing apostrophe; but I question the second apostrophe. I read it as he had three years during which he headed Walmart’s Sam’s Club. It seems to be a different kind of phrase. Not three years’ experience, just three years.

    • Laura Says:

      Oops. My bad. Susan, you’re right. An apostrophe in “three years” would be wrong. Thanks for keeping me honest. My apologies to the splendid writers at Yahoo!


What do you think?