... years experience

[Sirit]

I find that this phrase is written in different ways:

- I have two years experience
- I have two years´ experience
- I have two years of experience

I know the third phrase is correct, but if I do not want to use the "of" version, what is the best of the first two? I go for the second one, but I am not sure.

I hope someone can help me!

Sirit

 

[alisonp]

The second one is correct. The third can sound clumsy, and the first is wrong, although you'll see a lot of people writing it because they don't understand about the apostrophe.

 

[Sirit]

Thank you!

 

[Tabac]

The second one is correct. The third can sound clumsy, and the first is wrong, although you'll see a lot of people writing it because they don't understand about the apostrophe.

I see nothing wrong with the third. I would use either 2 or 3. Definitely not #1, as you stated.

 

[Giordano Bruno]

I vote for number two. Number three sounds awful. One may say "I have had two years of ...", but even then the ending is a bit weak if you don't specifiy what type of experience you have endured.

 

[Miss Vitabis]

And what about the pronunciation of the second one? Is it: 3 /yearz/ experience or 3 /yearziz/ experience ? Do you have to add a syllable or not?

thanks in advance!

 

[Loob]

Hi Miss Vitabis

No, you don't have to add a syllable: years and years' both end in /z/, not /zɪz/