Friday, October 19, 2012

word choice - "Forty foot" or "forty feet"?










Is it correct to say





"This is a forty foot drop"




or




"That is a forty foot telescope"




Shouldn't it be "forty feet"?




And what if it is




"This is a thirty nine foot drop"




instead?



Are both correct? Does it depend on the context? How does it work?



Answer



The forty-foot drop is correct.



Compare this:




1) He's a 10-year old.



2) He's 10 years old.





In the first example, a 10-year old stands as a noun (notice the article preceding it).
In the second example, it's not a noun, therefore no article.



Therefore:




1) It's a 40-foot drop.



2) This drop is 40 feet in height.




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