0.2 litre or 0.2 litres

[Tan Elaine]

Using vaccuum suction technology, flushing liquids takes only 0.2 litre / litres of water while flushing solids requires only one litre.

The above sentence is from a local paper.

I remember reading that anything less than one should be followed by a plural noun, so I think '0.2 litres' should have been used instead.

Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

I agree with you in that context.

Alternatively you could say '. . . takes only one fifth of a litre.'

Rover

 

[Tan Elaine]

Thanks, Rover.

It just dawns on me that 0.2 litres doesn't make sense since it is less that 1 litre; 2, 3, 4, etc litres make sense.

Could you please explain the reason for the usage? Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

Whether it makes sense or not, that's the standard usage for any weight or measure.

Only a whole unit takes the singular word:

0.5 miles, 1 mile, 1.001 miles etc.

Rover