How to say your growth?

Mostly find people say: "I am 5 foot 11", and drop 'inches'. But, if I asked someone their height, and they responded: "I'm 5, 11"; I would understand it as 5 foot 11.

Thank you! But why "5 foot"? why not "foots"?

Please note: It's your height, not your growth.

How tall are you?

What is your height?

I'm five-foot-four. (That's 5' 4")

Units are singular in these situations.

A six-mile hike.

A 10-foot ladder.

A three-year program.

A 20-dollar discount.

Thanks. What's right: "This is 10 foot tall" or "This is 10 feet tall?"

zhfanThanks. What's right: "This is 10 foot tall" or "This is 10 feet tall?"

This is 10 feet tall.

But it's a 10-foot statue. (or whatever)

Hi zhfan,

Growth refers to active growing, in other words the change of height from one point in time to a later time.

How much has your son grown?

He was 4-11 in March and now he is 5-3. So his growth was 4 inches.

Hope this helps!

-Chris

hi Geek,

Is that because of the dash being used that is singular?

What if we want to say in plural?

Grammar Geek I'm five-foot-four. (That's 5' 4")

Hi Grammar Geek,

Can you please tell me why "I'm five-foot-four" and "That's 10 feet tall"? I understand the dash usage but in conversation, why people would not notice "dash" in it unless it is written down. Does that mean you can say it either way in conversation "I'm five feet four" o

Thank you, Grammar Geek and Canderson. Yes, I'd like support the Tinanam's question.

If you said "I'm five feet four inches tall" it would sound fine to me.

If you said "I'm five-foot-four" it would sound fine to me.

If you said "I'm five-feet-four" it would sound less common, but not horrible. To others, that might sound very normal.

Some of this is simply what's idiomatic. To borrow another moderator's explanation of "idiomatic" -- we say it that way b