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10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals

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 differene between a number and a
numeral? ! number is an abstrat onept while a numeral is a symbol used to express that
number. "Three,# "$% and "&&&# are all symbols used to express the same number (or the onept of
"threeness#). 'ne ould say that the differene between a number and its numerals is li(e the
differene between a person and her name.
). Spell small numbers out. The small numbers, suh as whole numbers smaller than ten,
should be spelled out. That*s one rule you an ount on. &f you don*t spell numbers out it will loo(
li(e you*re sending an instant message, and you want to be more formal than that in your writing.
$. No other standard rule+ ,xperts don*t always agree on other rules. -ome experts say that any
one.word number should be written out. Two.word numbers should be expressed in figures. That
is, they say you should write out twelve or twenty. /ut not 24.
0. Using the comma. &n ,nglish, the omma is used as a thousands separator (and the period
as a deimal separator), to ma(e large numbers easier to read. -o write the si1e of !las(a as
231,421 s5uare miles instead of 231421 s5uare miles. &n 6ontinental ,urope the opposite is true,
periods are used to separate large numbers and the omma is used for deimals. Finally, the
&nternational -ystems of 7nits (-&) reommends that a spae should be used to separate groups
of three digits, and both the omma and the period should be used only to denote deimals, li(e
81$ )99,29 (the omma part is a mess: & (now).
2. Dont start a sentence with a numeral. ;a(e it "Foursore and se<en years ago,# not "0
sore and 3 years ago.# That means you might ha<e to rewrite some sentenes+ "Fans bought
099,999 opies the first day# instead of "099,999 opies were sold the first day.#
=. Centuries and decades should be spelled out. 7se the Eighties or nineteenth century.
3. ercentages and recipes. With e<eryday writing and reipes you an use digits, li(e "0> of
the hildren# or "!dd ) ups of brown rie.# &n formal writing, howe<er, you should spell the
perentage out li(e "1) perent of the players# (or "twel<e perent of the players,# depending on
your preferene as explained in point three).
?. !f the number is rounded or estimated" spell it out. @ounded numbers o<er a million are
written as a numeral plus a word. 7se "!bout 099 million people spea( -panish nati<ely,# instead
of "!bout 099,999,999 people spea( -panish nati<ely. &f you*re using the exat number, you*d
write it out, of ourse.
4. #wo numbers ne$t to each other. &t an be onfusing if you write "3 1$.year.olds#, so write
one of them as a numeral, li(e "se<en 1$.year.olds#. Ai( the number that has the fewest letters.
19. %rdinal numbers and consistenc&. Bon*t say "He was my 1st true lo<e,# but rather "He was
my first true lo<e.# /e onsistent within the same sentene. &f my teaher has )$ beginning
students, she also has 1? ad<aned students, not eighteen ad<aned students.

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