Royal Mail blunder means Orkney pupils receive exam results one day early

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... day-early/

Five students in the isles county received their results a day ahead of schedule

Some Orkney youngsters were spared a day of dread as a postal blunder meant they received their exam results a day before everyone else.

Red-faced Royal Mail chiefs have confirmed that five students were given the big news slightly ahead of schedule.

The handful of pupils took to social media to share the news that they had been spared extra hours of anxiety last night.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is now demanding an “urgent explanation” for the bungle.

Local council bosses were also left unimpressed as they called for answers.

A spokesperson for Royal Mail said: “While the vast majority of results were delivered correctly and on time, five students in Orkney received theirs a day early.

“We are sorry for this isolated incident.”

[SpacePhoenix]

Probably posted a day too early.

[ted_e_bear]

Probably posted a day too early.

Yeah no doubt expectations were that it would get delivered late so effectively turn up on time

[Smoothbackground]

Probably posted a day too early.

Who's fault would that be then?

Whose not “who’s”

[Smoothbackground]

Probably posted a day too early.

Who's fault would that be then?

Whose not “who’s”

Apologies for not being a grammar genius. Probably should've stuck in at school, then I might have got myself a proper 'city job' and made a s**t load of money instead of being stuck as a postman in this day and age.

Not to worry, I’m always happy to help. Likewise, apologies for being a pedant with these things.

“Who’s” is always just a contraction for “who is” or “who was”, eg, “Who’s coming with me to the pub?”

“Whose” is the possessive form, eg, “Whose round is it?”

It’s Happy Hour again!

[Smoothbackground]

Probably posted a day too early.

Who's fault would that be then?

Whose not “who’s”

Apologies for not being a grammar genius. Probably should've stuck in at school, then I might have got myself a proper 'city job' and made a s**t load of money instead of being stuck as a postman in this day and age.

Not to worry, I’m always happy to help. Likewise, apologies for being a pedant with these things.

“Who’s” is always just a contraction for “who is” or “who was”, eg, “Who’s coming with me to the pub?”

“Whose” is the possessive form, eg, “Whose round is it?”

It’s Happy Hour again!

congratulations! Honestly not sure what I would've done without this vital piece of information. Phew

Well, now you have the “vital info”, you will hopefully use it in your future posts and therefore minimise any possibility of your coming across as an illiterate so-and-so whose sole purpose in contributing to this site is to agitate and spout constant negativity about the job.

[Mr Rush]

Maybe in light of their recent resourcing issues the 'team' (urgh) on the island thought it would be preferrable if they turned up a day early rather than many days late.

Surely this stuff comes in segregated? I'm sure I've seen in the past a york filled with trays of results topped with a sign saying something along the lines of 'Do not release for delivery until Tuesday nth'.

[SpacePhoenix]

What format/size envelope would they have come in? Would they have come in a size of envelope that would be put through a CSS?

[Mr Rush]

What format/size envelope would they have come in? Would they have come in a size of envelope that would be put through a CSS?

Standard A4 envelope. They're clearly marked so I'm puzzled how they passed through everyone's hands since I think it's fairly well known they go out on a Tuesday in August before the schools go back. Did the Orkney office have spare bodies sent up from England?

I remember hearing my results land on the doormat at 8AM. I am not that old.

[yellowbelly]

Not to worry, I’m always happy to help. Likewise, apologies for being a pedant with these things.

“Who’s” is always just a contraction for “who is” or “who was”, eg, “Who’s coming with me to the pub?”

“Whose” is the possessive form, eg, “Whose round is it?”

It’s Happy Hour again!

Can you give an example of 'who's' being a contraction of 'who was'?

[Mr Rush]

“Who’s” is always just a contraction for “who is” or “who was”, eg, “Who’s coming with me to the pub?”

Can you give an example of 'who's' being a contraction of 'who was'?

That does seem like a very unusual usage in all but the most rapid speech. A past tense construction would almost certainly stress <was> (since the default is the present tense it needs to be marked) so it wouldn't be syncopated to <'s> without introducing ambiguity (though language is robust enough that it could be inferred from context). Were this a dialectical feature, to whom would it belong?