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Lucas21c Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

How to express a running time

Could you tell me which one is right and natural among the following questions and answers? Thank you.

Q: (Q1) How long does the movie run? / (Q2) How long does the movie last? / (Q3) What is the running time of the movie?
A: (A1) It is two hours long. / (A2) It runs two hours. / (A3) It runs two hours long. / (A4) It has a running time of two hours. / (A5) It has the running time of two hours.
  

Top answer

How long is the movie? Two hours. What's the running time of the movie?

— BarbaraPA

  • How long is the movie?
  • Two hours.
  • What's the running time of the movie?
  • -- works too.
  • (You'd still just say "two hours")
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3 Answers
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How long is the movie?
Two hours.

What's the running time of the movie? -- works too.
(You'd still just say "two hours")
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Thank you for your help, BabaraPA. By the way, are (Q1) and (Q2) wrong or unnatural as they are? How about (A1)~(A5)? Are they gramatically or semantically right though they might not be the most common style in the daily conversation?
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Q1 is okay, but it could also refer to how long it will be in theaters. (A "limited run" means not many weeks.)
Q2 is grammatical, but I can't imagine saying it.
Q3 is okay, but "how long is the movie" is more natural.

A1 is fine.
A2 is okay.
A3 no - It run two hours, No "long"
A4 okay, but longer than needed
A5 it has A running time, not THE
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