weeks or week

[english_learn]

How would you say

1. 3 weeks or 3 week
2. 2 month or 2 months

 

[probus]

It depends on whether week and month are used as nouns or as part of an adjectival phrase. For example:

The usual waiting period is about two weeks. Noun
We spent three months in France. Noun

We are going to take a two week vacation. Adjectival phrase
I have a three month contract to teach English. Adjectival phrase

You shouldn't use small numerals like 2 and 3 in your writing. It is better to spell out the numbers as I have done above.

 

[emsr2d2]

When using the number as part of an adjectival phrase, you need a hyphen.

We are going on a three-week holiday.
It's a two-hour walk.
I watched a five-minute presentation.

Our holiday will last three weeks.
The walk will take two hours.
The presentation I attended lasted [for] five minutes.

 

[probus]

If a hyphen is definitely required, that must be BrE. On this side of the pond I see the hyphen used sometimes, but more often than not it is omitted.

 

[english_learn]

Thanks for your reply,

I need a bit more clarification.


What is the different between Noun and adjective phrase. How can I differentiate in a sentence?

How come three month is a NOUN?

If it is a NOUN , how can it be adjective pharse in another sentence?

 

[5jj]

If it is a NOUN , how can it be adjective phra[STRIKE]r[/STRIKE]se in another sentence?

Many words can function as different parts of speech:

Life has its ups (noun) and downs.
He caught the up (adjective) train.
I'm afraid he'll up(verb) the price.
He drove up (preposition) the hill.
She looked up (adverb).

 

[Barb_D]

If a hyphen is definitely required, that must be BrE. On this side of the pond I see the hyphen used sometimes, but more often than not it is omitted.

I can't agree. People might not know the style rule, but it is an almost universal style rule. If I were editing, I'd add that hyphen every single time it showed up in a phrase that modified a noun. When I write, I use it every single time.

 

[english_learn]

Thanks all for your reply,

I still do not understand the concept..(How the grammar rules works.)

Some people say: - a 12 week course, 12 weeks course, 12 week course... I am confused.

Can anyone please tell what the grammar rule is and how to identify which one I need to apply? Please explain using examples.

Also please tell me, how can I identify, a word in a sentence is noun or adjective phrase? any simple technique?

for example : We spent three months in France .. in this sentence how I know three months is noun or adjective phrase?

 

[emsr2d2]

I still do not understand the concept..(How the grammar rules works.)

Some people say: - a 12 week course, 12 weeks course, 12 week course... I am confused.

I have isolated this particular part of your last post. When you say "Some people say ...", what do you mean? Who says that the second and third phrases are correct?

We have explained that we say :

I am going on a twelve-week course.
The course I am going on will last twelve weeks.

Of the three phrases you posted, we only use the first. "12 weeks course" is incorrect. "12 week course" with or without a hyphen is incorrect without an article at the beginning. Only your first phrase is correct and, in BrE at least, it needs a hyphen between "twelve" and "week".

 

[Odessa Dawn]

Thanks all for your reply, I still do not understand the concept..(How the grammar rules works.) Some people say: - a 12 week course, 12 weeks course, 12 week course... I am confused. Can anyone please tell what the grammar rule is and how to identify which one I need to apply? Please explain using examples. Also please tell me, how can I identify, a word in a sentence is noun or adjective phrase? any simple technique? for example : We spent three months in France .. in this sentence how I know three months is noun or adjective phrase?

***NOT A TEACHER***

Please reread the below statement.

You shouldn't use small numerals like 2 and 3 in your writing. It is better to spell out the numbers as I have done above.

 

[Barb_D]

The general style rule is to spell out numbers up to ten. For numbers higher than that, numerals are fine and expected.

A 12-week course. (With the hyphen)
A three-week course.

 

[probus]

for example : We spent three months in France .. in this sentence how I know three months is noun or adjective phrase?

The grammatical analysis of sentences is a very useful skill to acquire. You can tell that months is a noun here in three ways:

1) months is always a noun,
2) it is the direct object of the verb spent, and
3) it is modified by the adjective three.