half hour

USAGE SUMMARY

"half hour" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a period of 30 minutes. For example, "I usually take a 15-minute break after working for a half hour."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

41 human-written examples

It's a half hour.

The New Yorker

* Hancock's Half Hour begins.

Independent

A half hour or so.

The New Yorker

In that half hour, Lt. Comdr.

The New York Times

A half hour flew by.

The New York Times - Travel

Guided tours every half hour.

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

19 human-written examples

"A half-hour".

The New York Times

A half-hour interview?

The New York Times

"About?" "Half-hour".

The Guardian - Books

An enlightening half-hour.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Moving every half-hour is sensible.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "half hour" to indicate a 30-minute duration when precision is not paramount. For technical or formal writing, "thirty minutes" might be more appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "half hour" when a more precise measurement is required. Instead, opt for specifying the exact number of minutes, especially in technical or legal documents.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "half hour" functions primarily as a noun phrase, indicating a specific duration of time equal to thirty minutes. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is standard and grammatically sound, commonly used to quantify time spans. For example, "The show lasts a half hour".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki

20%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "half hour" is a common and grammatically sound noun phrase denoting a 30-minute duration. As indicated by Ludwig AI, it's widely accepted and used across various contexts, particularly in news, general conversation, and instructional content. While interchangeable with "thirty minutes", "half hour" leans towards a slightly less formal tone. Remember to use "half-hour" (hyphenated) as an adjective. As demonstrated by the numerous examples from Ludwig, this phrase effectively communicates time spans, facilitating planning and scheduling.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

thirty minutes

Uses a numerical value and unit of time instead of a descriptive term.

a period of thirty minutes

More formal and explicit about the duration being referenced.

half of an hour

Emphasizes the fractional relationship to a full hour.

thirty-minute interval

Highlights the concept of a regular or scheduled duration.

a span of thirty minutes

Focuses on the duration as a continuous stretch of time.

an increment of thirty minutes

Suggests that the time is part of a larger, segmented timeframe.

a thirty-minute block

Implies that the time is a discrete, allocated segment.

within a half hour

Specifies a timeframe limitation for something to occur.

in a half hour's time

More emphatic and sometimes literary way of saying "in half an hour."

a brief thirty minutes

Adds a subjective qualifier suggesting the time feels short.

FAQs

How do you write "half hour" correctly?

"Half hour" is typically written as two separate words. The hyphenated version, "half-hour", is used as an adjective, such as in "a half-hour meeting".

What's another way to say "half hour"?

You can use alternatives like "thirty minutes" or "a period of thirty minutes" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "a half hour" or "an half hour"?

It is correct to say "a half hour". The article "a" is used before consonant sounds, and "h" in "half" is pronounced.

What is the difference between "half hour" and "half-hour"?

"Half hour" (two words) is a noun phrase referring to a duration of 30 minutes. "Half-hour" (hyphenated) is an adjective used to describe something that lasts for 30 minutes, such as "a half-hour show".