Page 236 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

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half
half (of)
We can use halfor halfofbefore a noun with a determiner (article, possessive or demonstrative). We do not normally put a or the before halfin this case.
She spends half(oj) her time travelling. (NOT She spends ttlt.'1e httlf•..)
I gave him half (oj) a cheese pie to keep him quiet.
When half (oj) is followed by a plural noun, the verb is plural.
Half {ofJ my friends live abroad. (NOT ""'alfr:tfmyfrie/'IBs lives ...) Of is not used in expressions of measurement and quantity.
I live halfa mile from here. (NOT ••• httlfoftl mile ...)
I ju.st need halfa loafofbread. (NOT ••• halfr:tftllotlf...J We use halfofbefore pronouns.
Didyoulikethebooks?- I'veonlyreadhalfofthem. no following noun
Half can be used without a following noun, if the meaning is clear. I've bought some chocolate. You can have half. (NOT ••• thfi half.J
the half
We use the before halfif we are saying which half we mean. Before a noun, of is used in this case.
Would you like the big halfor the small halft I didn't like the second halfofthe film.
half a and a half
Halfusually comes before the article alan, but it is possible to put it after in expressions of measurement.
Could I have halfa pound ofgrapes? (OR ••• a halfpound ...J one and a half
The expression one and a ltalfis plural. Compare:
I've been waiting for one and a half hours. (NOT ••• one tliltl tl httlf""Ott,..) I've been waiting for an hour and a half.
For more infonnation about numbers and counting expressions, see 389. For lIalfin clock times (e.g. lIa/rpmt two), see 579.
happen to ...
Happen can be used with a following infinitive to suggest that something happens unexpectedly or by chance.
IfYOll happen to see Joan, ask her to phone me.
One day I happened to get talking to a woman on a train, and she turned
out to be a cousin ofmy mother's.
In sentences with if or in case, the idea of by chance can be emphasised by using should before happen.
Let me know ifYOlt should happen to need any help.
I'll take my swimming things, in case I should happen to find a pool open.
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