Page 169 - Basic English Usage
P. 169

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             Other  structures
              It  is  not  always  easy  to  know  whether  to  use  the  noun  +  noun  structure
              (for  example  the  chair  back),  the  of structure  (for  example  the  back  of
              his  head)  or  the  possessive  structure  (for  example  John’s  back).  The
              rules  are  very  complicated:  experience  will  tell  you  which  is  the  correct
             structure  in  a  particular  case.


       227    numbers

              Fractions
              We  say  fractions  like  this:
               $  oneeighth   4  three  sevenths
                £  two  fifths   tt  eleven  sixteenths
              We  normally  use  a  singular  verb  after  fractions  below  1.
                Three  quarters  of  a  ton  is  too  much.
              We  use  a  plural  noun  with  fractions  and  decimals  over  1.
                one  and  a  half  hours  (NOT ere anda thattheur)
                1-3  millimetres  (NOT  +3mitimetre)

              Decimals
              We  say  decimal  fractions  like  this:
                0-125   nought  point  one  two  five
                                      one
                                          twe-tive)
                (NOT  0425—neughteommea
               3-7   three  point  seven
              nought,  zero,  niletc
              The  figure  0  is  usually  called  nought  in  British  English,  and  zero  in
              American  English.
              When  we  Say  numbers  one  figure  at  a  time,  0  is  often  called  oh  (like  the
              letter  Q).
                My  account  number  is  four  one  three  oh  six.
              In  measurements  of  temperature,  0  is  called  zero.
               Zero  degrees  Centigrade  is  thirty-two  degrees  Fahrenheit.
              Zero  scores  in  team  games  are  called  ni/  (American  zero).
              Zero  in  tennis  and  similar  games  is  called  /ove.

              Telephone  numbers
              We  say  each  figure  separately.  When  the  same  figure  comes  twice,  we
              usuaily  say  double  (British  English  only).
                307  4922   three  oh  seven  four  rine  double  two.
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