Grammar question

[matchmaker]

Is it just me or are the options the wrong way round?


"The tenderer must confirm that, to the best of their knowledge, that none of the grounds as set out under Regulation 8 of the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016 apply. (Yes - criteria apply / No - criteria do not apply)"

[Johnnytheboy]

Too many thats.

[AyBee]

"The tenderer must confirm that, to the best of their knowledge, that none of the grounds as set out under Regulation 8 of the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016 apply. (Yes - criteria apply / No - criteria do not apply)"

or

"The tenderer must confirm that, to the best of their knowledge, that none of the grounds as set out under Regulation 8 of the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016 apply. (Yes - criteria apply / No - criteria do not apply)"

IMO

[EnglishTony]

Johnnytheboy said:

Too many thats.

This

[V8mate]

AyBee said:

"The tenderer must confirm that, to the best of their knowledge, that none of the grounds as set out under Regulation 8 of the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016 apply. (Yes - criteria apply / No - criteria do not apply)"

or

"The tenderer must confirm that, to the best of their knowledge, that none of the grounds as set out under Regulation 8 of the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016 apply. (Yes - criteria apply / No - criteria do not apply)"

IMO

Good points, but not what the OP asked.

OP: If you're a bidder, ask for clarification. They do appear to be wrong, but they haven't been consistent in their language either. Are 'grounds' and 'criteria' the same thing for example.

Contact the buyer and ask for confirmation of which response applies to someone in your position (state what that is).

[Ikemi]

For me, it would be the second option in AyBee's post. It flows better than the first option.

[iphonedyou]

Ikemi said:

For me, it would be the second option in AyBee's post. It flows better than the first option.

As V8mate points out though, and pursuant to the OP's actual question, the 'correct' answer contradicts the question wording.

Poorly written question and, again per V8mate's advice, I'd seek clarification - just in case.

[RizzoTheRat]

I'm assuming the OP's point is the question askes in none apply, and then the options are Yes they apply or No they don't, based on the question it should be Yes they don't apply, or No they do.

So Yes it's the wrong way round, or possibly No it's the wrong way round.

[Zod]

The OP is correct, but ti is appallingly written. The request is to confirm that none of the grounds apply, so the answer should be

"Yes. I confirm that none of the grounds apply"

or

"No. One or more of the grounds do apply.

[5potTurbo]

EnglishTony said:

Johnnytheboy said:

Too many thats.

This

Yeah, that.

[paulrockliffe]

Zod said:

The OP is correct, but ti is appallingly written. The request is to confirm that none of the grounds apply, so the answer should be

"Yes. I confirm that none of the grounds apply"

or

"No. One or more of the grounds do apply.

Yes, though given that there is more explicit clarification in the answers, Yes and No are both redundant, so I'd be happy ticking the box that says none of the grounds apply regardless.