|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > Compound Adjectives
Compound Adjectives
|
Ruwayda37
|
Compound Adjectives
|
|
Good day fellow teachers,
Could you please help me understand why fractions in compound adjectives are used in the plural form?
For example, we say a two-thirds majority instead of a two-third majority. |
26 Aug 2020
|
|
|
|
redcamarocruiser
|
|
It is because there are two thirds. 1/3 would not be plural. But we have two thirds, 1/3 + 1/3 . |
27 Aug 2020
|
|
|
Ruwayda37
|
|
But we say a five-year-old boy, not five-years-old boy. Could you please explain what the rule doesn�t work with fractions? |
27 Aug 2020
|
|
|
piet88
|
|
It�s a good question, but (as is often the case in English) there doesn�t seem to be a good answer. The following is from Swan: In fractions, the plural -s is not usually dropped.a two-thirds share (NOT a two third share) Exception: three quarters (a three-quarter length coat) M.Swan, Practical English Usage 3rd Edition, OUP 2009 386.5 page 359 |
27 Aug 2020
|
|
|
Ruwayda37
|
|
Thank you very much, piet88. I really needed your answer and appreciate your help. |
27 Aug 2020
|
|
|
