English Grammar

Giving an age

Jacques Laravoire

User since 2011
Posts: 1

8 Jan. 2011

I believed that one should say

He is 75 year old

and not

He is 75 years old

Was I wrong?

7 comments

Spoiler
User since 2008
Posts: 499
17 June 2011

'I got wise to you'
'I got wise to you'
Spoiler
User since 2008
Posts: 499
17 June 2011

From Sophie Moa:
"Am I right or wrong?" :| By Joe the screwball

Is he right or wrong ? he doesn't know :( . He's got no answer to this Shakespearian question since January. How can he live without any response to this crucial request about his inner personality? You've got it : that's the reason why we don't see much from him in the forum.

Sophie again, attending a mask ball, with a mask that
changes her age (or even changes her gender, I don't know. Oh, that's unfair!!

Reading confederacys of dunces,always on the brink to play morale police and giving ironic comments and provoking other people. Playing morale police is always easier for here than giving helpful comments.
Helping me out in one case, but suddenly changing sides and biting like a treacherous, venom snake.
[blockquote]From Sophie Moa: "Am I right or wrong?" :| By Joe the screwball Is he right or wrong ? he doesn't know :( . He's got no answer to this Shakespearian question since January. How can he live without any response to this crucial request about his inner personality? You've got it : that's the reason why we don't see much from him in the forum.[/blockquote] Sophie again, attending a mask ball, with a mask that changes her age (or even changes her gender, I don't know. Oh, that's unfair!! Reading confederacys of dunces,always on the brink to play morale police and giving ironic comments and provoking other people. Playing morale police is always easier for here than giving helpful comments. Helping me out in one case, but suddenly changing sides and biting like a treacherous, venom snake.
Spoiler
User since 2008
Posts: 499
17 June 2011

Joe is right. I think he just doesn't have the temerity to claim he is always right. I consider this as a likeable, modest trait. (my personal opinion)

But the topic of giving an age:
For example, there was this American comedy [i]'The 40-year-old virgin'[/i]. [i]'X-year-old'[/i] is here an adjective, and 'year' has to be in singular. I've looked up another example on BBC news:

[i][..]A motorcyclist killed in a crash with a refuse vehicle in the Isle of Man was a [b]40-year-old man[/b] from Liverpool, police say.[..][/i]

Or, another example, is the famous line from the Coens 'The Big Lebowski': [b]"Eight-year-olds, Dude!"[/b]

On the other side, when the age statement is not an adjective, it's correct to use the plural:
[b]'He is 40 years old.'[/b]

An example from a BBC blog which shows the evidence:
[i][..]BBC Radio Manchester is 40 years old today[..][/i]
Joe is right. I think he just doesn't have the temerity to claim he is always right. I consider this as a likeable, modest trait. (my personal opinion) But the topic of giving an age: For example, there was this American comedy [i]'The 40-year-old virgin'[/i]. [i]'X-year-old'[/i] is here an adjective, and 'year' has to be in singular. I've looked up another example on BBC news: [i][..]A motorcyclist killed in a crash with a refuse vehicle in the Isle of Man was a [b]40-year-old man[/b] from Liverpool, police say.[..][/i] Or, another example, is the famous line from the Coens 'The Big Lebowski': [b]"Eight-year-olds, Dude!"[/b] On the other side, when the age statement is not an adjective, it's correct to use the plural: [b]'He is 40 years old.'[/b] An example from a BBC blog which shows the evidence: [i][..]BBC Radio Manchester is 40 years old today[..][/i]
Jacques Laravoire
User since 2011
Posts: 1
8 Jan. 2011

I believed that one should say

He is 75 year old

and not

He is 75 years old

Was I wrong?
I believed that one should say He is 75 year old and not He is 75 years old Was I wrong?
eBrain
User since 2009
Posts: 613
18 June 2011

Congratulations, Whacky, :(, you've got it. I am a pure fiction fallen from my wheel, my mask is broken....farewell...;)
Congratulations, Whacky, :(, you've got it. I am a pure fiction fallen from my wheel, my mask is broken....farewell...;)
eBrain
User since 2009
Posts: 613
15 June 2011

"Am I right or wrong?" :| By Joe the screwball

Is he right or wrong ? he doesn't know :( . He's got no answer to this Shakespearian question since January. How can he live without any response to this crucial request about his inner personality? You've got it : that's the reason why we don't see much from him in the forum.
"Am I right or wrong?" :| By Joe the screwball Is he right or wrong ? he doesn't know :( . He's got no answer to this Shakespearian question since January. How can he live without any response to this crucial request about his inner personality? You've got it : that's the reason why we don't see much from him in the forum.
AhQ ['a: kiu]
User since 2006
Posts: 2715
8 Jan. 2011

As for me, Jacques, I think you could drop the s of the plural as long as you consider 75-year as an adjective. In such case you should link '75' to 'year' with a hyphen.

As he is 75 years old we could say that he is a 75-year man, or that he is a 75-year old man as well.

Am I right or wrong?
As for me, Jacques, I think you could drop the s of the plural as long as you consider 75-year as an adjective. In such case you should link '75' to 'year' with a hyphen. As he is 75 years old we could say that he is a 75-year man, or that he is a 75-year old man as well. Am I right or wrong?

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