How To Write Feet And Inches With Apostrophes?
You probably already know how to write feet and inches with apostrophes (e.g., 6’6). That’s because they’re not supposed to be written that way; they’re supposed to be written without apostrophes.
However, many people still don’t know the proper way to write feet and inches with apostrophes, so they continue using the incorrect method by default.
To show you what I mean, I’ll use this sentence as an example: John is 6’5 tall. There are three issues here that need addressing.
Step 1: Convert to Decimal Measurement
You will need a calculator or an online converter to convert your measurements.
Begin by inputting the number of feet you have into the converter. Doing this will give you a decimal number that you can then use to convert inches.
For example, if you have five feet and six inches, the conversion would look like this: 5.6 ft. = 66 in. (or divide by 12).
Now that you know how many inches are in one foot, it’s time to figure out how many inches are in each.
Take the number of feet times 12 (5×12=60) and add 60 to find out how many inches there are per foot (66). Divide that by 12 again to get the number of inches per inch (5.5).
Now we need to know how many centimeters per inch to convert our numbers back into meters!
To do this, multiply the number of inches per inch by 100. So for us, 5.5 x 100=550 cm/in means that 550 cm is equivalent to 1 meter.
To make sure all your conversions are correct when converting feet to metric measurements, remember these steps: Feet+12×60+100=Meters
Step 2: Add Apostrophe + S
To indicate possessive plural nouns, add an apostrophe + s (‘s) to the end of the word. If the word is plural but doesn’t end in s, add only an apostrophe after the s (‘).
Example:
The dogs’ toys were spread out all over the room. Notice that there is only one toy, so the apostrophe goes after the s. If there were multiple toys, it would look like this: The dogs’ toys were spread all over the room.
The cats’ cat food was left untouched. The students’ writing projects were piled on the table. There are two s’s in students, so we need two apostrophes to show ownership: students’.
As long as you know how many are at the end of a word, you can always use an apostrophe to show possession.
In summary, step 2 includes:
1) Add Apostrophe + S (or just Apostrophe if the word ends in S):
2) Be sure to put it right before the last letter or letter combination if there is more than one
3) Make sure you have your words spelled correctly
4) When referring to people or animals with different limbs, remember that singular words will not have an S unless pluralized by adding another S on the end.
Step 3: Use Periods
You must use periods to write a measurement using feet and inches correctly.
For example, let’s say you want to write out five feet and six inches. You would write it out as 5.6′.
This might look odd initially, but it is the standard way to do it. Some may think you should include commas every three digits, like 5′ 6, but this isn’t correct.
It should be written like this: 5′ 6. The period after the 5 denotes no more digits to follow, as in regular numbers where a period denotes no more digits following after a decimal point.
You also want to put periods after the 6 to denote that there are no more digits following on the other side of the decimal point.
If we were writing out a sentence or paragraph, we would also put punctuation between them (commas, semicolons, etc.). So if we wanted to write five feet and six inches, we would type it as follows: 5 ft., 6 in.
Rule 1.0 – Feet & Inches Appear Together in the Same Sentence
There’s a basic rule when writing feet and inches together in the same sentence.
It would help if you always used the symbol for feet (‘) followed by a number, then a space, followed by the abbreviation for inch (). For example, you would write 5’10 or 6’2.
This rule applies whether you’re writing about someone’s height, describing a piece of furniture, or measuring something else.
The long couch can seat eight people easily, as it measures 8 feet long x 3 feet wide. To avoid confusion, I recommend adding an ‘s’ at the end of the foot so that readers know which measurement is described (8ft x 3ft).
It is also acceptable to use another word after the fraction so that there is no confusion about what type of measurement you are using.
Rule 2.0: When Foot and Inch are Separated by Punctuation, an Apostrophe + S is Added
When foot and inch are separated by punctuation, like a comma, an apostrophe + s is added.
For example, if you’re writing about a person six feet two inches tall, you would write it as 6′2′′. The same goes for when you’re writing about someone five foot ten. You would write it as 5′10′′.
Rule 3.0 – Place the Period After Feet & Inches Within a Sentence
The correct way to express this would be, He is six feet, two inches tall. You would never see He is six feet, two inches tall. Written without the period after the 2 in 6’2.
This is due to Rule 3.0, which states that you should always place the period after the feet & inches when writing them within a sentence. If you were to ignore rule 3.0, it would look like he is six feet, two inches tall.
When it’s supposed to read, he is six feet, two inches tall, so the period goes after the numbers, not before. He is six feet two inches tall. It’s nine miles, twelve yards away.
(Bonus) Apostrophe + S is Not Required for Typed Numbers
When typing out a number, you don’t need to add an after an apostrophe. For example, I have five brothers and sisters. ” is correct.
The same goes for plurals of abbreviations. You don’t need to add an’s. For example, “We have 3 TVs in our house” is correct.
Final thoughts
The proper way to write feet and inches is with an apostrophe between the number and the unit of measurement. For example, 5’8.
This ensures no confusion as to whether you are referring to a measure of length or a person’s height. When writing about someone’s height, always use the singular form of the unit of measurement. For example, He is five feet tall, not He is five feet tall.
