Learn English – “Start work date” versus “start working date”

word-choice

How should I say the date I start working: Is "start work date" or "start working date"? I googled to just find out that both are used.

Which one is correct, and why?

Best Answer

Neither of OP's alternatives are acceptable compressed forms of what would normally be referred to as date of starting work in the full form of this compound noun. The most common short form is...

work start date

Note that the base noun here is date - modified by another noun start, which is itself modified by the noun work. Most compound nouns involve only two nouns anyway, and if there are more than two they usually all modify the same base noun, but the only grammar involved here is that when a noun is being used "adjectivally" it follows the normal rule for adjectives - it comes immediately before the noun it modifies (even if that modified noun is then used adjectivally to modify another noun that follows).

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