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There is no need for hyphens if you’re using the phrase as a noun: We’ll be there in two and a half hours; two and a half hours is plenty of time. If you are using a phrase like that as a modifier, however, you’ll need hyphens to hold it all together: a two-and-a-half-hour trip.
When a number with a fraction is used as a quantifier, it is not hyphenated (e.g., two and half years). If the number is used as a compound adjective or noun, then hyphens should be used (e.g., two-and-a-half-year journey).
Jul 27, 2010 · Her daughter is two and a half years old. OR She has a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter.
Jul 31, 2015 · One half need not be hyphenated when used as a noun; however, it must be hyphenated when used as an adjective: 1. I am entitled to one half of the pizza. 2. I have a one-half interest in the pizza.
The other obvious option is to leave the words open: "three and a half year old." This approach avoids what you consider the hyphen plague of "three-and-a-half-year-old," but it also de-emphasizes the unitary aspect of the phrase, which the heavily punctuated form makes clear.
Oct 24, 2022 · When should you use a hyphen in compound adjectives with numbers? Learn how to use hyphens correctly to ensure your writing looks polished and professional.
Nov 2, 2015 · BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING NOUN IN THE HYPHENATION. This is true even if the following noun is another number: Three-and-a-half thousand. One-and-a-half million. And dozens are tricky. Two-and-a-half-dozen eggs, but two-and-a-half dozen.
