Hyphens/use

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Hyphens/use
Message from n0007 posted on 13-07-2012 at 10:15:59 (D | E | F)
Hello,

could you please tell me why we have to use hyphens(e.g. 21-years-old),but when we write years old,we don't have to write hyphens.
I hope you can answer my question.
Thank you in advance.

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Edited by lucile83 on 13-07-2012 10:56

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Re: Hyphens/use from n0007, posted on 13-07-2012 at 10:16:42 (D | E)
I'm really confused about it.

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Re: Hyphens/use from lucile83, posted on 13-07-2012 at 11:19:47 (D | E)
Hello,

We say either
he is a ten-year-old boy (compound word without an 's' in year but with hyphens)
or
he is ten years old ('s in years and no hyphen)

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Re: Hyphens/use from gerondif, posted on 13-07-2012 at 19:24:08 (D | E)
Hello,
the hyphen will turn the expression into an adjective impossible to put into the plural.

He is ten years old.
I met a ten-year-old boy.(a young boy)

My yacht is ten metres long.
I bought a ten-metre-long yacht.(a big yacht)

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Re: Hyphens/use from may, posted on 16-07-2012 at 03:14:21 (D | E)
Hello,

So, as an adjective, it must be followed up by a noun as in previous explanations:
A twenty-year-old boy
A twelve-year-old girl

I hope it would be clearer for you.

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