[文法Q&A] Q: #-year-old vs # years old
1. 當年齡是一個名詞前的形容詞，修飾名詞時，或年齡是一個名詞，使用連接號/連字號（ – ）。
My 5-year-old (形容詞) brother (名詞) ate my homework. My professor will never believe my story.
我五歲的弟弟吃了我的作業。我的教授永遠不會相信我的故事。
That 5-year-old (名詞) ate my homework. My professor will never believe my story.
那個五歲的小孩吃了我的作業。我的教授永遠不會相信我的故事。
2. 當年齡是一個形容詞片語在名詞後，不要用連接號/連字號（ – )。
Eric is 34 years old (形容詞片語), but he feels like he’s a thousand years old.
Eric已經34歲了，但他感覺自己像有一千歲那麼老。
That elderly businessman’s wife is only 18 years old (形容詞片語)!!! OMG! This is going to be on the news tonight!
那位年長的商人的妻子才18歲！！！天哪！這將成為今晚新聞的焦點！
寫年齡的方式：
He is 25 years old (形容詞片語).
He is a 25-year-old (名詞.).
He is a 25-year-old (形容詞) man (名詞).
His age is 25.
He is 25 years of age. -> 正式寫法
He is at the age of 25. -> 正式寫法
Children (who are) between the ages of 3 and 12 can eat for free.
Only children from 5 to 12 years of age can attend this school.
People in the 14-25 age group prefer to watch movies at least once a year.
If you are confused, just keep it simple and use the forms that you know. There is no need to make your life more difficult during a test
參考資料:
age:
1. http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/age
2. http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/age%5B1%5D
3. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/age
age, ages, aged 的區別: http://grammar.englishhome.org/archives/4308
複合形容詞: http://211.75.39.208:888/adv/grammar/data/AVTRCP.htm
http://blog.163.com/bilixiang123@126/blog/static/13516601020101010103428760/
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/compounds.htm
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/735/02/
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/are-you-using-hyphens-correctly.aspx
所以25-year-old當名詞使用時，只能修飾後面的名詞，而不能當成主詞補語(如：He is 25-year-old.)囉？
Hi, I would only say
He is a 25-year-old (adj.) man.
I have never heard someone say or write “He is 25-year-old.”
You would say, “He is 25 years old.”
Pragmatics/actual use > Grammar
Hi, thank you for your sharing. I wonder that can I say He is 7-year-old when I treat 7-year-old as an ajective?
所以25-year-old當名詞使用時，只能修飾後面的名詞，而不能當成主詞補語(如：He is 25-year-old.)囉？
Hi, I would only say
He is a 25-year-old (adj.) man.
I have never heard someone say or write “He is 25-year-old.”
You would say, “He is 25 years old.”
Pragmatics/actual use > Grammar