Sentence correction

Your ‘spot’ in the show will be ‘empty’ when you retire.
Your ‘space’ in the newspaper will be ‘obvious’ when you retire.
Your ‘place’ on the bench will be ‘empty’ when you retire.
Your ‘space’ on the comedy routine will be ‘empty’ when you retire.

Yes, with imagination, each option can be acceptable.

wilpeterYes, with imagination, each option can be acceptable.

Thanks a lot for your examples. What about “in our department’?

Your 'spot/space/place’ in out department will be 'empty/obvious' when you retire.

Would it work in all of your examples?

Anonymous wilpeterYes, with imagination, each option can be acceptable.Thanks a lot for your examples. What about “in our department’? Your 'spot/space/place’ in out department will be 'empty/obvious' when you retire.Would it work in all of your examples?

Sorry I meant 'our' not 'out'.

One usually holds a ‘position’ in a department not a ‘space’ or ‘spot’. An empty position left in a department would be a ‘space’ and then it would be ‘obvious’; but it seems an unlikely situation to foresee.
I would think that allowing all six possibilities would be wrong.

wilpeterI would think that allowing all six possibilities would be wrong.

I see. Then which of the possibilities is correct?

By ‘correct’ instead of in a general way, and using your example of ‘retirement from a department’:
Your ‘place’ in our department will be ‘empty’ when you retire. OK
Your ‘space’ in our department will be ‘empty’ when you retire. OK (Space = floorspace)
Your ‘absence’ from our department will be ‘obvious’ when you retire. (a variation)

wilpeterBy ‘correct’ instead of in a general way, and using your example of ‘retirement from a department’:Your ‘place’ in our department will be ‘empty’ when you retire. OKYour ‘space’ in our department will be ‘empty’ when you retire. OK (Space = floorspace)Your ‘absence’ from our department will be ‘obvious’ when you retire. (a variation)

Thanks a lot. What

To recap:
Your original post asked if all combinations of ‘spot/space/place’ with ‘empty/obvious’ were possible in a retirement. I said ‘with imagination each can be acceptable’ – meaning in different kinds of occupation.
Then you focused on a retirement ‘in our department’. This somewhat limited the options to ‘positions’, in which case:
“Your place in our department will be empty w

wilpeterTo recap:Your original post asked if all combinations of ‘spot/space/place’ with ‘empty/obvious’ were possible in a retirement. I said ‘with imagination each can be acceptable’ – meaning in different kinds of occupation.Then you focused on a retirement ‘in our department’. This somewhat limited the options to ‘positions’, in which case:“Your place in our departmen

Yes, that didn't really match the original question; but if you include 'absence' it changes the sentence. Besides it is only 'obvious' if the position remains vacant. You would hardly tell someone you're not replacing them.