which is correct?

[Rigor Mortis]

I've inclined to write "twelve months' duration" rather than "twelve months duration." I asked google and, in fairness, it spent a little while thinking and told me both were grammatically correct.

I know people here know better than google.

 

[Homer Potvin]

That one's probably a pick 'em, but I'd go without the apostrophe. In my mind the "twelve months" is functioning more as an adjective phrase describing the "duration" than an object possessing another. Either is probably technically correct though.

 

[Louanne Learning]

I would go a little different. I would turn twelve-month into a compound adjective and so hyphenate it

Then, the noun is duration, so takes a singular article

a twelve-month duration

 

[Also]

I would also have trouble writing it without the apostrophe, as framed. Like the use of perfect aspect where called for, that apostrophe is a (not-so?) subtle indicator of careful correctness.

However, because c-groups (and presumably some readers) often incorrectly flag the apostrophe as a mistake anymore, I often sidestep the issue for them in the way that Louanne suggests.

 

[Naomasa298]

I might be inclined to write "twelve month duration", not months (with or without an apostrophe). Saves one keystroke.

 

[Homer Potvin]

I might be inclined to write "twelve month duration", not months (with or without an apostrophe). Saves one keystroke.

Yeah. I didn't notice that the first time. It's a clunky phrase either way. Seem like a plain old "year" but suffice in most contexts, but not all, obviously.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

I'd probably say, "for twelve months" or "for a year" and eliminate "duration."

 

[Trish]

I might be inclined to write "twelve month duration", not months (with or without an apostrophe). Saves one keystroke.

This is what I would do.

 

[Louanne Learning]

twelve month

This is a compound adjective and needs a hyphen

 

[Trish]

This is a compound adjective and needs a hyphen

"needs" is debatable.

 

[Stuart Dren]

What would one call a meeting which will last five minutes?

 

[Naomasa298]

What would one call a meeting which will last five minutes?

A quickie in the stationary cupboard.

 

[Rigor Mortis]

For context, it's a more formal situation for inclusion in a report. The full sentence would refer to, usually, "a [COURT ORDER] of twelve months' duration." Put into the sentence, I don't think it's adjectival. Until recently, I'd always have written it without the apostrophe but decided a while ago that it wasn#t correct even if it looked correct and the apostrophe was correct, even if it didn't look like it was.

"[court order] of a year's duration" doesn't convey the gravitas, yet "...of two years' duration" is fine.

What would one call a meeting which will last five minutes?

A gift from the gods.

 

[Naomasa298]

For context, it's a more formal situation for inclusion in a report. The full sentence would refer to, usually, "a [COURT ORDER] of twelve months' duration." Put into the sentence, I don't think it's adjectival. Until recently, I'd always have written it without the apostrophe but decided a while ago that it wasn#t correct even if it looked correct and the apostrophe was correct, even if it didn't look like it was.

I don't know about a legal report, but on an invoice or a quote, I would normally use "twelve month duration", with or without a hyphen as you prefer.

 

[Stuart Dren]

For context, it's a more formal situation for inclusion in a report. The full sentence would refer to, usually, "a [COURT ORDER] of twelve months' duration." Put into the sentence, I don't think it's adjectival. Until recently, I'd always have written it without the apostrophe but decided a while ago that it wasn#t correct even if it looked correct and the apostrophe was correct, even if it didn't look like it was.

"[court order] of a year's duration" doesn't convey the gravitas, yet "...of two years' duration" is fine.

A gift from the gods.

I think the word 'duration' is tripping us up. Or at least it's tripping me up.

No one would write "I have twelve month experience in selling auto loans." But experience is not presented as a singular in my example, as in "a twelve month experience."

On your original question, I would choose with the apostrophe. "a [court order] of twelve months' duration" which without the apostrophe would be "a [court order] of twelve months of duration."