[title]Family quotes[/title] [description]Welcome to our family quotes section! Here you'll find some of the funniest (and wisest) quotes on the subject of family life![/description]
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Latest post Sun, Nov 8 2009 6:00 PM by Grammar Geek. 27 replies.
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NanakiXIII  +  1004 Wed, 18 Jun 03 06:39 PM
Is the plural (I think that's what it's called) of foot, in measurements, foot or feet? ex: "The tree is thirty foot/feet high."
Joined on Wed, Jun 18 2003
Netherlands
Junior Member 76
hitchhiker  +  1012 Wed, 18 Jun 03 09:26 PM
No bother at all, thanks for your questions. It's a tough one, I'm not sure what the correct answer is, i use both in different contexts..

It is definitely correct to say 'The tree is thirty feet high'

But you can also say: 'That's a forty foot yacht', saying 'That's a forty feet yacht' would be wrong.

or slang: 'A forty footer!'
Joined on Mon, Nov 18 2002
Richmond, UK
Senior Member 4,036
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NanakiXIII, 6 yr 161 days ago
I see....hmm....I think I get it, thanks.
hitchhiker  +  1066 Thu, 19 Jun 03 02:51 PM
Hey nan, I don't get it either... Hopefully a teacher will see this thread and throw some light on it.
Pia  +  1072 Thu, 19 Jun 03 03:03 PM
Well, there isn't a hard and fast rule. Either can be used. Foot is usually more conversational. However feel free to interchange.

My dad's six foot two (inches tall)
my dad's six feet two (inches tall)

Personally, in the above example i would voice the "inches" if i used feet.

My dad's six feet two inches

Pia
Joined on Mon, Mar 24 2003
Malta
Full Member 103
NanakiXIII, 6 yr 161 days ago
So you can use both. That's good, I can't make any mistake. ^_^
hitchhiker  +  1074 Thu, 19 Jun 03 03:05 PM
Noo nooo, you can't use both.. There are exceptions!

Wrong

"50 feet yacht" wrong
"That plane is 300 foot high" (Would mean the plane is 300 feet from top to bottom)
"It's fifty foot to the bottom" (Wrong, must use feet)

Distance use 'feet', size use 'foot or feet' (This doesn't apply if you're talking about something that is one foot away).
NanakiXIII, 6 yr 161 days ago
Oh I see. Thanks.
Pia  +  1079 Thu, 19 Jun 03 03:31 PM
i assumed we were talking only about measurements not distance. as for distance you're perfectly right. Like you hitch i wasn't sure if there is a rule or not. i looked it up in Swan (my personal bible !!!) and it said that for measurements feet and foot are interchangeable - one being more colloquial than the other. But if needs be we'll prove him wrong and i'll be right by your side leading the rally !!!!!!
Pia
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