Number Modifiers: using numbers as adjectives

Number Modifiers

Using numbers as adjectives

Number-Noun Modifiers

A noun can be used to modify another noun -- the noun changes to an adjective.

SUBJECT - VERB	ADJECTIVE (number)	NOUN	SUBJECT - VERB	ADJECTIVE (number + noun)	NOUN
When a number (greater than one) modifies a noun, the noun is plural.			When a number and noun are combined to modify a noun, no plural form is used in the modifier. Adjectives do not take the plural form.
The ladder had	six	steps.	It was a	six-step	ladder.
The books have	200	pages.	They are	200-page	books.
Bruce can lift	300	pounds.	He lifts	300-pound	weights.
Bruce worked out for	five	minutes.	He had a	five-minute	workout.

See Noun Modifiers for plural noun modifier exceptions.
Hyphenating numbers: Use a hyphen to link numbers twenty-one to ninety-nine. Using hyphens

weight lifter

Common Mistakes

ERROR	FIX
It was nine pounds baby. He lifted a 300 pounds weight. There are twelve millions people in my city.	It was a nine-pound baby (Adjectives do not take the plural form in English.). He lifted a 300-pound weight. There are twelve-million people in my city.
It was 9 pound baby. It was built ninety nine years ago.	It was a nine-pound baby (Spell out numbers under 10 or 100. See below.) It was built ninety-nine years ago. (Hyphenate numbers 21 - 99: twenty-one, ninety-nine, fifty-five, etc.)

Spelling out numbers: These two sources suggest different rule.:

Chicago Manual of Style 9.3: In general, in nontechnical contexts, spell out whole numbers one through one hundred, round numbers and any number beginning a sentence. For other numbers, numerals are used. "Consistency must sometimes give way to readability."

AP Style Manual p. 172: Spell out a numeral at the beginning of a sentence (unless it identifies a calendar year). If necessary, rephrase the sentence. Spell out numbers below 10, use figures for 10 and above. "They had a fleet of 10 station wagons and two buses."

Use a dictionary such as Dictionary.com, Merriam Webster or American Heritage to check a word in question. If someone challenges your word usage, cite your source.

Hyphens

Using Hypens to Link Words

Hypen Use

ADJECTIVE + ADJECTIVE	QUANTIFIER ADJECTIVE + ADJECTIVE
I saw four-foot high cactuses (cacti). They were 4-feet high. two 4-foot cactuses	I saw four foot-high cactuses (or cacti). There were four of them and they were 1-foot high. four 1-foot-high cactuses

ADJECTIVE + ADJECTIVE

QUANTIFIER ADJECTIVE + ADJECTIVE

I saw four-foot high cactuses (cacti).
They were 4-feet high.
4-foot high cactus two 4-foot cactuses

I saw four foot-high cactuses (or cacti).
There were four of them and they were 1-foot high.

four 1-foot-high cactuses

Practice

Creating Modifiers

Select the correct answer. Remember nouns can take plural forms, but adjectives cannot.
Double click on the radio button to check your answer. An asterisk * indicates an incorrect answer.

#	SENTENCE	OPTIONS
1.	We had a three- weekend.	day days
2.	The weekend lasted three .	day days
3.	Kareem is seven tall.	foot feet
4.	Kareem is a seven- tall man.	foot feet
5.	San Francisco is fifteen away.	mile miles
6.	It is a fifteen- trip to San Francisco.	mile miles
7.	Jane wore four- high heels.	inch inches
8.	The heels were four high.	inch inches
9.	Our HDTV cost 5,000 .	dollar dollars
10.	Ours is a 5,000 HDTV.	dollar dollars
11.	I made a chocolate cake with three .	layer layers
12.	I made a three- , chocolate cake.	layer layer s
13.	We need to buy a 25- lightbulb. watt = unit of power	watt watts
14.	This lightbulb has 25 .	watt watts
15.	I like to have two for my breakfast .	egg eggs
16.	I like to have a two- breakfast .	egg eggs
17.	My car has four .	door doors
18.	Mine is a four- car .	door doors
19.	She cooked us a dinner with five .	courses course course = dish (appetizer, entree, salad, vegetable or dessert)
20.	She cooked us a five- dinner .	courses course