# miles per hour

CEFR A2 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/miles-per-hour
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

A unit used to measure how fast something is moving, especially cars in countries like the US and the UK.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The car goes 60 mile per hour." but "The car goes 60 miles per hour." — When the number is greater than one, the unit 'mile' must be plural.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.