grammar help: two-and-a-half years old or two and a half years old?

two and a half years old…no hyphens

Two And A Half Years

Two-and-a-half Hyphen

Hello. I would encourage you to call you local school district and find out who provides early intervention or early childhood special education services where you live. If he qualifies (which it sounds like he would) he will receive speech services from that agency. This is a free service and the government requires ALL states to provide services to those children who qualify from ages 3-5. Nearly all states provide services for children birth to age 2, but it is not required. However, again, most states do provide services for children under 3. When you go in, they will likely first do a ‘screening’ to see if your child requires an evaluation and in what areas. Then, they do a formal assessment in the area(s) of need. If those scores make him qualify, they will then develop a plan…either an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) or IFSP (Individualized Family Service plan) depending on where you live. That plan will have his ‘goals’ and the types and amounts of services he receives. Please, do not wait. These services work and are effective for many children and families. The speech pathologist will work with you and your family to develop a system that works for you. It may include visuals or other types of modifications to help your child begin to use his expressive language. The earlier you can get him into service, the more likely a positive outcome. Finally, know there are two kinds of language. Receptive and expressive. Receptive is what someone understands. That is if you tell your child to show you his nose, he understands and does it. Expressive language is that which a child can say. Often, expressive language will be delayed, while receptive is not. However, sometimes they may both be delayed. I wish you the best and please find services for your son. Good luck!

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grammar help: two-and-a-half years old or two and a half years old?

which is the correct grammar way?

thank you!

Hyphens are used to connect numbers and words in forming adjectival phrases (particularly with weights and measures), whether using numerals or words for the numbers, as in 28-year-old woman and twenty-eight-year-old woman.

In your phrase, “two and a half” modifies “years,” so it should say “two-and-a-half years old.”

If you are referring to someone who is 2-1/2 years old, you might say “two-and-a-half-year-old toddler,” since all of the words before “toddler” modify “toddler.”