[ti:Ask a Teacher: Foot or Feet?]
[by:www.21voa.com]
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[00:00.00]The English word "foot" has more than one meaning.
[00:04.33]In the United States, one meaning
[00:07.31]is a unit of measurement equal to 12 inches, or .3 meters.
[00:15.07]We use feet to measure height, length and short distances.
[00:21.55]Today's question is about when to use the plural or singular form.
[00:28.23]It comes from Wéifēng of China.
[00:31.97]I am often confused with the choice between "foot" and "feet."
[00:39.18]How do I choose the right word in a particular situation? – Wéifēng, China
[00:43.91]Hello, Wéifēng, that is a great question!
[00:48.16]For the unit of measurement,
[00:50.80]we often use the singular form
[00:53.39]even when we are talking about more than one foot.
[00:57.75]This can make things confusing for learners.
[01:02.64]Luckily, there are three easy rules that can help:
[01:07.34]1. When used as an adjective, we use "foot,"
[01:13.06]which is the singular form.
[01:15.23]Let's hear some examples:
[01:17.71]The children climbed a 15-foot tree.
[01:21.94]Here, the adjective is "15-foot" and it describes the noun "tree."
[01:29.23]Here's another:
[01:30.74]I have a 10-foot ladder that you can borrow.
[01:35.29]Here, the adjective "10-foot" describes the noun "ladder."
[01:41.45]Notice that both 15-foot and 10-foot come before the noun
[01:47.85]and there is a hyphen between the words.
[01:51.07]A hyphen is needed when a unit of measurement acts as an adjective.
[01:57.42]2. When used as a noun, we use the plural form: feet.
[02:04.44]Take a listen:
[02:05.98]The tree is 15 feet high.
[02:09.98]Here, the noun is "15 feet" and the adjective is "high."
[02:16.12]The ladder is 10 feet tall.
[02:19.57]Here, the noun is "10 feet" and the adjective is "tall."
[02:25.24]Notice that the noun form does not use a hyphen.
[02:29.81]These two rules also apply to many other units of measurement.
[02:36.34]3. Lastly, we usually use the singular form
[02:42.03]when talking about a person's height.
[02:44.83]This is an exception to the plural noun rule in #2.
[02:50.91]Here's an example:
[02:52.82]I am 5-foot-6.
[02:55.38]This is a common way of saying, "I am 5 feet 6 inches tall."
[03:02.72]However, when the person's height is an exact number of feet
[03:07.68]--without inches -- we use the plural form.
[03:11.60]I am 5 feet.
[03:14.84]He is 6 feet tall.
[03:17.53]The addition of "tall" is not required in everyday conversation.
[03:24.66]For all other meanings of "foot,"
[03:27.17]we use "foot" for the singular form and "feet" for the plural.
[03:32.19]And that's Ask a Teacher.
[03:34.49]I'm Alice Bryant.
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