If Paul could turn the clock back

[Bassim]

I am wondering if my sentences are grammatically correct. Is it correct to say "stays in prison"?

If Paul could turn the clock back, he would have finished university, got a good education, settled down and married. Now, his life was a mess: alcohol and drug abuse, petty crimes, recurrent convictions and stays in prison.

 

[teechar]

I would use "could turn back the clock" instead.

 

[Rover_KE]

... but 'turn the clock back' is fine, too.

I'd say 'prison sentences' instead of 'stays in prison'.

 

[Roman55]

Is it correct to say "stays in prison"?

It's not really wrong, but stays makes it sound like prison is a hotel. Spells or stretches might work.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

In American English, we'd probably say "gotten," but Britons might prefer "got."

 

[emsr2d2]

In American English, we'd probably say "gotten," but Britons might prefer "got."

We certainly would. We don't use "gotten" at all.