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Pastsimple Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

She has a daughter your age.

Hi,

could someone please answer these questions:

1. Can the sentences below be used in formal situations?

She has a daughter your age.
Kelly is my age.

Though I hear sentences like those often and I do use them, they don't sound like formal English to me.

2. Are there any other ways in which we can say the same thing? Would anyone use sentences like the one below in everyday speech? In formal writing?

She has a daughter (who is) as old as you.

3. I've heard people omit the definite article in sentences like:

She has a daughter (the) same age as you. (i.e. age of her daughter = your age)
She has a daughter (the) same age as yours. (i.e. age of her daughter = your daughter's age)

How "substandard" that omission is? Do native speakers often omit the article in that situation?

Thanks in advance.
  

Top answer

1. This sounds completely right to my American ears. 2.

— BarbaraPA

  • 1.
  • This sounds completely right to my American ears.
  • 2.
  • Sure, you can say this.
  • She has a daughter your age, she has a daughter who is the same age as you.
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7 Answers
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1. This sounds completely right to my American ears.

2. Sure, you can say this. She has a daughter your age, she has a daughter who is the same age as you. (I don't really like "as old as you." Perhaps now that I'm 40, I don't like "old" and "you" used in the same sentence
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Pastsimple Are there any other ways in which we can say the same thing?

I like adding of in both sentences. (maybe I should get rid of this habbit
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I think this was discussed before? American English, no "of." I think maybe it's different for BrE?
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Hmm, Thank you Barbara!

And I think...
Grammar Geek
(I don't really like "as old as you." Perhaps now that I'm 40, I don't like "old" and "you" used in the same sentence
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Grammar GeekI think this was discussed before? American English, no "of." I think maybe it's different for BrE?
Well, I think it's not. At least, the Brits I work with don't use the "of" and never correct my sentences without the "of" in age-related sentences like those mentioned.
However, I'm not sure whether Brits would say "has been discussed before" or
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Pastsimple

a mother of two is, in my opinion, much better than a two children's mother Emotion: wink
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Can the sentences below be used in formal situations?
She has a daughter your age.
Kelly is my age.

Yes. I can imagine Queen Elizabeth saying it to an ambassador at a state dinner. Is that formal enough?
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