When to Use S with Numbers and Hundred

In English grammar, the use of the plural form "s" with numbers and the word "hundred" can be confusing. Generally, you use "s" with numbers when they are used as adjectives before a noun. For example, "three hundred students" indicates a specific number of students. However, when "hundred" is used alone or as a noun, it does not take an "s." For instance, "I have a hundred dollars" is correct, but "I have hundreds dollars" is incorrect.

The confusion often arises because "hundred" can also be used as a noun to refer to a large number, in which case it does not take an "s." For example, "I have hundreds of books" implies a very large, unspecified number of books. This distinction is crucial for maintaining grammatical accuracy in written and spoken English.

Data from the American English Corpus, a large collection of English texts, reveals that the use of "s" with numbers and "hundred" is consistent with these rules. In the corpus, the phrase "three hundred students" appears more frequently than "three hundreds students," and "I have a hundred dollars" is more common than "I have hundreds dollars." These findings support the general rule that "s" is used with numbers when they are adjectives and not with "hundred" when it is used as a noun or alone.

The reason for this rule lies in the grammatical function of the words involved. When "hundred" is used as an adjective, it takes an "s" to indicate the plural form, as in "three hundreds" or "a hundreds." However, when "hundred" is used as a noun or alone, it does not take an "s" because it is not referring to a specific number of items but rather to a large, unspecified quantity. This distinction is essential for clear communication and understanding in English.