10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals

10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals 10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals 10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals By Michael How do you express numbers in your writing? When do you use figures (digits) and when do you write out the number in words (letters)? That is, when do you write 9 and when do you write nine? 1. Number versus numeral. First things first, what is the difference between a number and a numeral? A number is an abstract concept while a numeral is a symbol used to express that number. Three, 3 and III are all symbols used to express the same number (or the concept of threeness). One could say that the difference between a number and its numerals is like the difference between a person and her name. 2. Spell small numbers out. The small numbers, such as whole numbers smaller than ten, should be spelled out. Thats one rule you can count on. If you dont spell numbers out it will look like youre sending an instant message, and you want to be more formal than that in your writing. 3. No other standard rule: Experts dont always agree on other rules. Some experts say that any one-word number should be written out. Two-word numbers should be expressed in figures. That is, they say you should write out twelve or twenty. But not 24. 4. Using the comma. In English, the comma is used as a thousands separator (and the period as a decimal separator), to make large numbers easier to read. So write the size of Alaska as 571,951 square miles instead of 571951 square miles. In Continental Europe the opposite is true, periods are used to separate large numbers and the comma is used for decimals. Finally, the International Systems of Units (SI) recommends that a space should be used to separate groups of three digits, and both the comma and the period should be used only to denote decimals, like $13 200,50 (the comma part is a mess I know). 5. Dont start a sentence with a numeral. Make it Fourscore and seven years ago, not 4 score and 7 years ago. That means you might have to rewrite some sentences: Fans bought 400,000 copies the first day instead of 400,000 copies were sold the first day. 6. Centuries and decades should be spelled out. Use the Eighties or nineteenth century. 7. Percentages and recipes. With everyday writing and recipes you can use digits, like 4% of the children or Add 2 cups of brown rice. In formal writing, however, you should spell the percentage out like 12 percent of the players (or twelve percent of the players, depending on your preference as explained in point three). 8. If the number is rounded or estimated, spell it out. Rounded numbers over a million are written as a numeral plus a word. Use About 400 million people speak Spanish natively, instead of About 400,000,000 people speak Spanish natively. If youre using the exact number, youd write it out, of course. 9. Two numbers next to each other. It can be confusing if you write 7 13-year-olds, so write one of them as a numeral, like seven 13-year-olds. Pick the number that has the fewest letters. 10. Ordinal numbers and consistency. Dont say He was my 1st true love, but rather He was my first true love. Be consistent within the same sentence. If my teacher has 23 beginning students, she also has 18 advanced students, not eighteen advanced students. Video Recap Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†50 Nautical Terms in General UseEnglish Grammar 101: Sentences, Clauses and Phrases