Page 393 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

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sure which structure is used to express a particular compound idea. The most common expressions will be learnt by experience; in cases of doubt, a good dictionary will often show which form is correct.
now (that)
Now (that) can be used as a conjunction. In an informal style, that is often dropped (see 584).
Now (that) Andrew is married, he has become much mare responsible. Now the exams are over I can enjoy myself.
nowadays
Nowadays is an adverb meaning 'these days', 'at the present time'. People seem to be very depressed nowadays.
Nowadays we think nothing ofspace traveL
Nowadays cannot be used as an adjective.
I don't like modern fashions. (NOT {t/:tJll't like the n6tt1ttflays jmhi6n.s.)
numbers
fractions and decimals: two fifths; nought point four We say simple fractions like this:
2
'i4 alone quarter 'l8 an/one eighth 317 three sevenths
''l16 eleven sixteenths
:f1/4 three and three quarters 6'l8 six and one eighth
% twofifths
More complex fractions can be expressed by using the word aver.
31~509 three hundred and seventeen over five hundred and nine We write and say decimals like this:
nought point four (NOT 1t6ttgJtt e6fflffl4 J.f(j",,)
nought point three seven five (NOT n6f1gnt ,,6int #tree
hr:tntireti anti sellenI}' {tile)
0.4
0.375 4.7
below.
before nouns
With fractions below I, we use ofbefore nouns. three quarters ofan hour
seven tenths ofa mile
a third ofthe students
Half is not always followed by of (see 231). halfan hour half(of) the students
four point seven
For the difference between a(n) and one with numbers, see paragraph 11
numbers 389
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