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Writing

lettucebe

(2,341 posts)

2. Hypens in 12-years-old make no sense

Reply to Foolacious (Original post)

Tue Jan 5, 2021, 01:27 PM

Jan 2021

I'm no expert but that is incorrect usage. Why add a hypen to twelve years? It is two words, twelve and years. They are two distinct things. Whereas Twelve-years-old is basically one word. It's stating a fact.

Also, if we want to talk numbers, always write out the number if it's the first word in a sentence. Do not start a sentence with a numeral. Just my thoughts.

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Hyphenated ages [View all] Foolacious Jan 2021 OP

Grammar guru here. The "old" form is still the correct form. tblue37 Jan 2021 #1

Associated Press Style agrees! Blue_playwright Jan 2021 #8

Associated Press Style agrees! Blue_playwright Jan 2021 #9

Hypens in 12-years-old make no sense lettucebe Jan 2021 #2

Except when it's a year... AmyStrange Jan 2021 #7

The younger writers in my group would agree that your first examples are correct. CrispyQ Jan 2021 #3

Perdue's Owl site is good SheltieLover Jan 2021 #4

Apostrophe s pjyonemura Jan 2021 #5

ON EDIT: Decades were presented to us as an exception... Foolacious Jan 2021 #6