Hyphens with Numbers
Should you write 13-feet or 13 feet? Here is the rule: when you’re combining two or more words to form a compound adjective in front of a noun, put hyphens between these words.
Examples:
Lara handed me a 15-foot pole.
An 18-inch monitor is too big for my desk.
Emergency room nurses work 12-hour shifts.
Anthony swung his five-pound hammer.
In the above sentences, the measurements are compound adjectives describing nouns.
When numbers are used as nouns, don’t use a hyphen.
Examples:
Suzanne won the race by a solid 15 feet.
The room was 17 feet long.
Twelve hours later, he was exhausted.
Anthony’s hammer weighs five pounds.
To learn more about hyphens, click here.
Pop Quiz
Correct or incorrect?
1. Stella had her hair cut six-inches last week.
2. Her party shoes had three inch heels.
3. Can you lend me your five-foot tape measure?
4. I am 5-feet-2-inches in my bare feet.
5. The water level rose 10-inches in just three hours.
Pop Quiz Answers
1. Stella had her hair cut six inches last week.
2. Her party shoes had three-inch heels.
3. Can you lend me your five-foot tape measure? (Correct)
4. I am 5 feet 2 inches in my bare feet.
5. The water level rose 10 inches in just three hours.
Posted on Tuesday, July 27th, 2010, at 10:45 am
35 Responses to “Hyphens with Numbers”
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What is the proper way to write the numbers and compound adjectives in the following sentence?
The site consists of a 5,010 square foot parcel that is occupied by a 15,030 square foot commerical building that was built in 1920.
Thank you.
My blog on “Numbers as Adjectives” addresses this issue. The rule says, “Generally, hyphenate between two or more adjectives when they come before a noun and act as a single idea. This rule can also be applied when a number and a measurement unit taken together form an adjective, that is, when they describe another object.”
Examples:
A 22-inch monitor is too big for my desk.
Nurses work 12-hour shifts.
Therefore, the proper way to write the sentence would be:
The site consists of a 5,010-square-foot parcel that is occupied by a 15,030-square-foot commerical building that was built in 1920.
Where does the hyphen go?
The date of manufacture of the first floor 2 1/2-ton condensing unit is 2000.
The date of manufacture of the first floor 2-1/2 ton condensing unit is 2000.
Ashley
Your example sentence contains two compound adjectives, first-floor and 2 1/2-ton. The hyphens come between the adjectives. Our rule 4 in Hyphens states, “Generally, hyphenate between two or more adjectives when they come before a noun and act as a single idea.” This rule can also be applied when a number and a measurement unit taken together form an adjective, that is, when they describe another object.
The date of manufacture of the first-floor, 2 1/2-ton condensing unit is 2000. OR
The first-floor, 2 1/2-ton condensing unit was manufactured in the year 2000.
I am updating the bylaws and I have a question about punctuation. Here is my paragraph:
All members are required to fulfill two 3-hour maintenance day commitments. A three-hour maintenance day is defined as one person working for a total of three (3) hours or two persons working for 90 minutes. Exclusions are Parent/Tot families and Board members; both are required to fulfill one 3-hour maintenance day.
What is the correct punctuation? Where do I add actual numbers in parentheses and how do I punctuate sentences where two numbers are back-to-back, such as “two 3-hour maintenance days”?
Since your document is not densely populated with large numbers, you do not need to include the numerals in parentheses. By being consistent in the use of numerals for numbers describing time and writing out the other small numbers, you can avoid having to insert punctuation, such as commas. Also, since you are defining a term, I recommend using italics for the term itself and enclosing the definition in quotes. Therefore, your paragraph would look like this:
All members are required to fulfill two 3-hour maintenance day commitments. A 3-hour maintenance day is defined as “one person working for a total of 3 hours or two persons working for 90 minutes.” Exclusions are parent/tot families and board members; both are required to fulfill one 3-hour maintenance day.
Thank you. That makes sense what you said and it looks good.
I am thankful to your excellent Website, GrammarBook.com, which has benefited me a lot. May I request you to please explain why it is written “3-year Degree Course instead of 3 years Degree Course.”
Thanks.
The phrase “three-year-degree” is a compound adjective that acts as a single idea and describes the singular noun course. A compound adjective in front of a noun requires hyphens. Also, spell out single-digit whole numbers. Since you are not referring to a specific course title, it does not need to be capitalized. Thus, “three-year-degree course.”
If not used as an adjective, you might write this: It takes three years to complete the course work and obtain the degree.
Which of the following is correct:
The smallest book in the Library of Congress measures one-twenty-fifth inch by one-twenty-fifth inch.
or
The smallest book in the Library of Congress measures one-twenty fifth inch by one-twenty fifth inch.
or
The smallest book in the Library of Congress measures one twenty-fifth inch by one twenty-fifth inch.
Thanks
The Chicago Manual of Style‘s hyphenation guide says, “Simple fractions are hyphenated in noun, adjective, and adverb forms except when the second element is already hyphenated.”
The smallest book in the Library of Congress measures one twenty-fifth inch by one twenty-fifth inch.
How about, in a formal wedding invitation…
at one-thirty in the afternoon?
Rule 12 of Writing Numbers states, “Normally, spell out the time of day in text even with half and quarter hours. With o’clock, the number is always spelled out.
Examples:
She gets up at four thirty before the baby wakes up.
The baby wakes up at five o’clock in the morning.
Therefore, “at one thirty in the afternoon” is correct. You may find that some of the wedding websites disagree with this. Our rule is based on Chicago Manual of Style’s rule 9.38. Wedding invitations sometimes have their own sets of rules and they are not always the same as rules for formal writing.
Which is correct:
A) We require a staff of seven to ten employees.
or
B) We require a staff of 7-10 employees.
Thank you.
Our Rule 1 of Writing Numbers says, “Spell out single-digit whole numbers. Use numerals for numbers greater than nine.” Rule 2 states, “Be consistent within a category. For example, if you choose numerals because one of the numbers is greater than nine, use numerals for all numbers in that category. If you choose to spell out numbers because one of the numbers is a single digit, spell out all numbers in that category.” Therefore, either sentence is grammatically correct. If you choose to go with the numerals, use an en dash to separate them.
We require a staff of seven to ten employees. OR
We require a staff of 7–10 employees.
Which format is correct for the numbers in each of the two following lines?
Twenty five of the students OR Twenty-five of the students
Twenty-five students OR Twenty five students
I was taught that numbers like twenty five are hyphenated if used as an adjective as in Line 2 but not hyphenated when used as a noun as in Line 1.
The number twenty-five is always hyphenated regardless of how it is used in a sentence. You are most likely thinking of the rule from our Hyphens with Numbers blog which states, “When you’re combining two or more words to form a compound adjective in front of a noun, put hyphens between these words. When numbers are used as nouns, don’t use a hyphen.”
Examples:
An 18-inch monitor is too big for my desk.
Anthony swung his five-pound hammer.
Anthony’s hammer weighs five pounds.
The room was 17 feet long.
Which format would be correct here:
Griddles plates are available in different thicknesses ranging from thin plates (three-eighth inch to three-fourths inch) to thick plates (one-inch to one-and-one-half inch)….
or should this be written numerically?
…thin plates (3/8-inch to 3/4-inch) to thick plates (1-inch to 1-1/2-inch)….
Normally I follow the under ten write it out rule, but with the fractions I am not sure! Thanks for your advice!
Rachel, while you may have thought you were asking a relatively simple question, this is really a complex lesson in writing numbers. The first complexity is that your example contains both simple fractions and a mixed fraction. Rule 3 of Writing Numbers says “Always spell out simple fractions and use hyphens with them.” This would lead us to write three-eighths inch and three-fourths inch. Rule 4 says “A mixed fraction can be expressed in figures unless it is the first word of a sentence,” which would allow us to write 1 1/2 inches in figures rather than write it out. Let’s bring in Rule 2 which cautions us to “Be consistent within a category.” Therefore, we should either write them all out in words or express them all in figures. Whether a hyphen is placed before the word “inch” or not depends upon whether these are compound adjectives or simple measurements. My guess is that you have simple measurements within your parentheses which, if written out, are really saying “. . . thicknesses ranging from thin plates (three-eighths of an inch thick to three-fourths of an inch thick)” rather than in compound adjective form “. . . thicknesses ranging from thin plates (three-eighths-inch thick plates to three-quarters-inch thick plates).”
To be fully grammatically correct, I recommend “Griddle plates are available in different thicknesses ranging from thin plates (three-eighths of an inch to three-fourths of an inch) to thick plates (one inch to one and one-half inches).” Also acceptable would be “Griddle plates are available in different thicknesses ranging from thin plates (3/8 inch to 3/4 inch) to thick plates (1 inch to 1 1/2 inch).”
This is very helpful! Thank you so much!
You are welcome!
Which is correct to say
He is a 3-year old baby.
He is a 3-years old baby.
He is a three-year old baby.
He is a three-years old baby.
He is a three year old baby.
He is a three years old baby.
Our Rule 1 of Numbers says, “Spell out single-digit whole numbers. Use numerals for numbers greater than nine.” Also, our blog Hyphens with Numbers says, ” When you’re combining two or more words to form a compound adjective in front of a noun, put hyphens between these words.” Therefore, write He is a three-year-old baby.
Thank you so much, Jane.
You are welcome, Al.
I know this question does not belong to the subject but, Please I need an answer. Which is correct to say and why?
How long will it takes ?
or
How long will it take ?
He will arrives tomorrow.
or
He will arrive tomorrow.
This is covered in our blog “When to Add ‘s’ to a Verb.” Your sentences contain the auxiliary verb will. An auxiliary verb is to be followed by the base form of the main verb. Therefore use take and arrive.
How long will it take?
He will arrive tomorrow.
Thanks a Lot, Jane.
You are welcome.
is it ive done girl scouts for five-years or five years
Since the word five is not a compound adjective, do not hyphenate. Also, the word Girl Scouts is a proper name and should be capitalized.
I’ve done Girl Scouts for five years.
When you are capitalizing hyphenated numbers in a title, does the second number appear in lower case?
Twenty-first commencement exercise or/
Twenty-First Commencement Exercie
The Chicago Manual of Style’s Rule 8.159, Hyphenated compounds in headline-style titles, states, “Capitalize the second element in a hyphenated spelled-out number (twenty-one or twenty-first, etc.) or hyphenated simple fraction (two-thirds in two-thirds majority).”
Twenty-First Commencement Exercise
Well, but the hyphenating rules doesn’t explain why it would be 5-foot instead of 5-feet in the first place, i.e. the use of the plural instead of the singular.
I’m assuming it’s because the noun is considered one single mass rather than individual units, but how is that explained in grammatical terms?
You are writing about a singular object which consists of a compound adjective in front of a noun, such as a 5-foot fence, a 3-pound hammer, or a 2-inch hem. It is different if you are referring to the measurement itself such as 3 feet tall, 10 pounds lighter, or 2 inches shorter.