(this item first appeared in our January Newsletter)
I’m often asked about the convention for expressing numbers within text. When do you spell them out as words, and when do you use numerals? What are the rules?
In fact, there is no single convention. Most very large organisation and most decent sized publications have their own ‘style sheets’ that vary slightly on the subject, but there is a remarkable degree of agreement. In the absence of an in-house style sheet, editors will expect you to follow closely to the consensus.
This is my own summary of the main consensus.
1. Spell small numbers out as words. Almost everyone agrees that it is more elegant to spell out the numbers ‘one to nine’, rather than using numerals ‘1 to 9’.
2. Spell our single-word numbers. Many go further and suggest spelling out all single-word numbers, so that includes ‘ten’, ‘twenty’ and so on, but not numbers like 23.
3. Never start a sentence with a numeral. So, “20,000 homes were flooded yesterday” is generally considered unacceptable. It should read “Twenty thousand homes… “
4. Simple fractions. Spell out simple fractions, using hyphens. “Two-thirds of the group responded.” “One-half of the group was dissatisfied.”
5. Large ‘rounded’ numbers or estimates. “The population grew from one million to three million during the industrial revolution.”
6.Compound numbers. Hyphenate compound numbers “Thirty-four were damaged, with twenty-two damaged beyond repair.”
7. Two numbers next to each other. Sentences like “In the class, 15 5-year-olds were had poor reading skills” are confusing. Better to write” In the class, fifteen 5-year-olds were…. “
8. Use the comma. In English, the comma is used to break up long strings of digits. “The deficit was $12,076,059.” Not “$12076059.”
9. Percentages. In formal copy, rather than using the % symbol, it is normal to spell out ‘percent’ or ‘per cent.’ The former is US English, the latter UK English!
Remember, these guidelines are just that – an aid, not a big stick.
Click to read all Writer's Tips Blog posts
I’m often asked about the convention for expressing numbers within text. When do you spell them out as words, and when do you use numerals? What are the rules?
In fact, there is no single convention. Most very large organisation and most decent sized publications have their own ‘style sheets’ that vary slightly on the subject, but there is a remarkable degree of agreement. In the absence of an in-house style sheet, editors will expect you to follow closely to the consensus.
This is my own summary of the main consensus.
1. Spell small numbers out as words. Almost everyone agrees that it is more elegant to spell out the numbers ‘one to nine’, rather than using numerals ‘1 to 9’.
2. Spell our single-word numbers. Many go further and suggest spelling out all single-word numbers, so that includes ‘ten’, ‘twenty’ and so on, but not numbers like 23.
3. Never start a sentence with a numeral. So, “20,000 homes were flooded yesterday” is generally considered unacceptable. It should read “Twenty thousand homes… “
4. Simple fractions. Spell out simple fractions, using hyphens. “Two-thirds of the group responded.” “One-half of the group was dissatisfied.”
5. Large ‘rounded’ numbers or estimates. “The population grew from one million to three million during the industrial revolution.”
6.Compound numbers. Hyphenate compound numbers “Thirty-four were damaged, with twenty-two damaged beyond repair.”
7. Two numbers next to each other. Sentences like “In the class, 15 5-year-olds were had poor reading skills” are confusing. Better to write” In the class, fifteen 5-year-olds were…. “
8. Use the comma. In English, the comma is used to break up long strings of digits. “The deficit was $12,076,059.” Not “$12076059.”
9. Percentages. In formal copy, rather than using the % symbol, it is normal to spell out ‘percent’ or ‘per cent.’ The former is US English, the latter UK English!
Remember, these guidelines are just that – an aid, not a big stick.
Click to read all Writer's Tips Blog posts