Word
miles per hour
Definition
compound. A unit used to measure how fast something is moving, especially cars in countries like the US and the UK.
compound. A unit of speed expressing the number of statute miles travelled in one hour, commonly abbreviated as 'mph'.
Examples
“The speed limit here is 30 miles per hour.”
“He was driving at 70 miles per hour on the motorway when the police stopped him.”
“The hurricane's sustained winds reached an astonishing 150 miles per hour, causing catastrophic damage to coastal infrastructure.”
Examples
simple
“The speed limit here is 30 miles per hour.”
contextual
“He was driving at 70 miles per hour on the motorway when the police stopped him.”
complex
“The hurricane's sustained winds reached an astonishing 150 miles per hour, causing catastrophic damage to coastal infrastructure.”
Usage
It is often abbreviated to 'mph' in writing and speech, especially when following a number.
Teaching tip
Contrast this with 'kilometers per hour' (km/h), the standard unit of speed in most other countries, to highlight differences in measurement systems.
Pitfall
The car goes 60 mile per hour.
The car goes 60 miles per hour.
When the number is greater than one, the unit 'mile' must be plural.