seven years old vs seven-year old

Both "seven years old" and "seven-year-old" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Seven years old" is used to describe someone's age, while "seven-year-old" is used as an adjective before a noun. The choice between them depends on whether you are stating an age or describing something.

Last updated: April 07, 2024 • 747 views

seven years old

This phrase is correct and commonly used to describe someone's age.

This phrase is used to state someone's age. It follows the pattern of 'number + years old.'

Examples:

She is seven years old.
My son is five years old.
The tree is twenty years old.

Show examples from the web [+]

When her mother was killed, she was seven years old.
At seven years old I figured it out.
When Schmidt was seven years old, his daddy divorced his mommy...
Umar is seven years old, and he's from northern Nigeria.
Mom, I'm not seven years old anymore.
I was seven years old and she smelt like strawberries.
The boy was six, seven years old.
Barnes's daughter Miranda was seven years old at the time.
You are ignoring the fact that he is still seven years old.
Ryan, I'm only seven years old.
We had a daughter, seven years old.
I'm not seven years old anymore, Aunt Trunchbull.
Everything's mythical when you're seven years old.
Nathan's seven years old, maybe, eight.
The younger Bleyer began playing the piano when he was only seven years old.
When O'Connor was seven years old, his family moved to Howell, Michigan.
When I picture Julie's wedding, she's still seven years old.
Segantini was seven years old when he arrived in Milan in April 1865.
First communion at seven years old and before...
She was gone before I was seven years old.

Alternatives:

eight years old
ten years old
fifteen years old
thirty years old
sixty years old

seven-year old

This phrase is correct and commonly used as an adjective before a noun.

This phrase is used to describe a noun, typically a person, with a specific age. It is hyphenated and used before the noun it describes.

Examples:

I have a seven-year-old daughter.
She adopted a three-year-old cat.
The school has a five-year-old building.

Show examples from the web [+]

I'm a seven-year old boy -
Liam learns that Josie has a seven-year old daughter, Billy, and that he is the father.
Thirdly, I do not believe - and I am addressing Mrs Morgantini here - that it is for us to define rights, when we can see that the law is being ridden roughshod over by people throwing bombs and killing seven-year old children on the other side.
Seven-year old Michael was on a school trip to a Wildlife Centre in Central Scotland.
In this study, we examined the changes in soil organic matter (SOM) stocks in a seven-year old agroforestry system in central Switzerland.
In one, an American crew defied the elements to destroy a seven-year old course record.
Here's a teaching about the dignity of conscience that reaches the seven-year old Scout. These terms "dignity" and "conscience" are too abstract for a child, but their meaning can already be grasped.

Alternatives:

eight-year-old
ten-year-old
fifteen-year-old
thirty-year-old
sixty-year-old

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