Apostrophes

[Tdol]

Is the apostrophe important?

[Tdol]

I'd use the apostrophe, but I can't honestly get worked up about leaving it out.

[RonBee]

I would have chosen Neither, but you didn't provide that option. :wink:

I would say either The crime can be punished by up to ten years in jail or The crime can be punished by up to ten years jail time.

(It could be an AE/BE difference, but I am not sure.)

[Edited for spelling.]

:)

[Tdol]

I think it is.

[panjandrum]

It should be years' . It's just like saying a winter's day. The day is of the winter, the jail is of ten years' duration.

[Daizee]

I think that apostrophes ARE important - they show possession. Take a look at this example:

The girl's bags were big.

This refers to all the bags belonging to ONE girl. But if you move the apostrophe like in the second example:

The girls' bags were big.

This refers to the bags belonging to MORE THAN ONE girl. If you don't use apostrophes, you can lose the meaning of a sentence altogether. I know apostrophes aren't the most vital things on the planet, but hey, if you can use them, do!

[JACOOL]

I've chosen the first one, althogh at first I found it a bit difficult to undesrstand both of them. What Ronbee has written are much understandable-least for me- so I would go for them.

[redrussia1992]

what would really be correct would be "the crime can be punishable by up to ten years time"

[sara98]

the correct one is the first sentence. we can't use apostrophe here

[Casiopea]

Correct.