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From: Mark Barratt <mark.barr...@enternet.hu>
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: Half hour or half an hour
Date: Thu, 09 Sep 2004 14:31:25 +0200
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Goofy wrote:

> Should I say 'half hour' or 'half an hour'?  For example, I waited half
> (an) hour to get on the bus.

I would say "(for) half an hour", here.

> Or there is half-(an)-hour break before the class.

This one would be "a half-hour break".

The difference seems to be whether the expression is being used as a 
noun or as an adjective.

> For this matter, also 'half second' or 'half a second', 'half minute' or
> 'half a minute', and 'half day' or 'half a day'?

The same applies.

-- 
Regards,
Mark Barratt