Numbers: Words or Numerals?
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Numbers: Words or Numerals?
The topic of when to write numbers out and when to use numerals concerns and confounds a lot of people.
America’s two most influential style and usage guides have different approaches: The Associated Press Stylebook recommends spelling out the numbers zero through nine and using numerals thereafter—until one million is reached. Here are four examples of how to write numbers above 999,999 in AP style: 1 million; 20 million; 20,040,086; 2.7 trillion.
The Chicago Manual of Style recommends spelling out the numbers zero through one hundred and using figures thereafter—except for whole numbers used in combination with hundred, thousand, hundred thousand, million, billion, and beyond (e.g., two hundred; twenty-eight thousand; three hundred thousand; one million). In Chicago style, as opposed to AP style, we would write four hundred, eight thousand, and twenty million with no numerals—but like AP, Chicago style would require numerals for 401; 8,012; and 20,040,086.
There are only a handful of rules for writing numbers that virtually everyone agrees on. Two major ones: Numbers beginning sentences must be written out (Eight thousand twelve people attended the concert). Years (8 B.C., 2015) are expressed in numerals. But spelling out numbers vs. using numerals mostly comes down to policies and preferences that vary from publisher to publisher.
The topic causes further confusion because exceptions to just about every rule or practice crop up constantly. For instance, She walked 3 miles; Add 4 teaspoons of salt; Timmy is 5 years old; and The car is 6 feet wide are all correct in AP style, despite contradicting AP’s own rule of spelling out numbers between zero and nine.
Chicago endorses the following sentence “for the sake of consistency”: A mixture of buildings—one of 103 stories, five of more than 50, and a dozen of only 3 or 4—has been suggested for the area. Chicago explains why it does not spell out 50, 3, and 4: “If according to rule you must use numerals for one of the numbers [103] in a given category, use them for all in that category.” But why, then, are one, five, and a dozen written out? Because “items in one category may be given as numerals and items in another spelled out.”
AP’s approach to numbers is far less nuanced than Chicago’s. This may be because the Associated Press Stylebook is targeted to newspapers and magazines, which toil in a world of deadlines. There simply isn’t time to get sidetracked by numerical niceties when your article is due in three hours.
Here is a sentence from a profile that appeared in a big-city newspaper: “He has delivered a tutorial about the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Ninth and 10th amendments to the Constitution.” Note the glorious inconsistency of “10th,” which would make Chicago Manual of Style disciples apoplectic.
But AP style stipulates “10th,” not “Tenth,” and that’s that. It may look odd, but is the sentence not clear and unambiguous? When it comes to the arcane, convoluted subject of writing numbers, there’s something refreshing about AP’s streamlined approach.
If the article or the existing discussions do not address a thought or question you have on the subject, please use the "Comment" box at the bottom of this page.
Please clarify. When a sentence must begin with a year, is the year written out or expressed in numerals?
The Associated Press Stylebook says that a calendar year beginning a sentence would be written as a numeral. On the other hand, The Chicago Manual of Style says that a year beginning a sentence should be spelled out. However, Chicago recommends rewording the sentence. Instead of Nineteen ninety-eight was when … write The year 1998 was when …
I am confused about the presentation of people’s ages. Do we spell them out; twenty-three-years-old, or 23-years-old, or 23 years old?
Thank you for your assistance.
Spelling out numbers vs. using numerals is largely a matter of writers’ preference as this post points out. Hyphens are used when the age represents a compound adjective. All of the following sentences are correct:
She is 23 years old.
She is twenty-three years old.
I have a 23-year-old daughter.
I have a twenty-three-year-old daughter.
Which is correct: 3-6 months, or three to six months?
Since both 3 and 6 are under ten, should I spell it out?
Since both major style manuals advocate spelling out the numbers three and six, we recommend writing three to six months.
In a resume how would I reference “$50,000 to half a million dollars” Is this correct in this form?
For the sake of consistency, we recommend writing either “$50,000 to $500,000” or “fifty thousand dollars to half a million dollars.”
Which is correct 4X or four times the size?
In formal writing, we recommend “four times the size.”
Thank you for this wonderful website!
I’m editing a history book for a friend and would like to know your opinion about which sample sentences are best.
1. We were placed aboard a twenty-four thousand ton steamer headed for France.
We were placed aboard a 24,000-ton steamer headed for France.
2. They were looking for men taller than five feet seven inches.
They were looking for men taller than 5 feet 7 inches.
3. We received 80 cents a day for our labor.
The workers earned eighty cents a day.
In sentence No. 3, the first sentence is an example from one of the interviewees in the book. The second sentence is the author speaking about the workers in general. Shouldn’t we be consistent in either using numbers or spelling out the numbers, and do you have a preferred style in this case?
Spelling out numbers vs. using numerals is largely a matter of writers’ preference as this post points out. We agree with you that consistency is key. We recommend choosing either the AP or Chicago style guide described in the article and remaining consistent throughout the book. We noticed that item 1 should read “twenty-four-thousand-ton steamer.”
What is best to write? There are 50- 60-year-old people here! How does one address the 50- part to complete that sentence? Thank you!
We assume you want to express the number of people present who are 60 years old: There are fifty 60-year-old people here.
Can you please clarify then if it would be written as “half-ton” or “half ton” … or should it then be “half a ton”?
As we explain in our post Hyphens with Numbers, inclusion of the hyphen depends on how the term is used in a sentence.
“He ordered a half-ton load of bricks.” (The term is used as a compound adjective preceding a noun.)
“The load of bricks weighed a half ton.” (The term is not used as a compound adjective preceding a noun.)
“The load of bricks weighed half a ton” might be considered by some to be informal, but the meaning is clear, and we find it acceptable.
The term half of a ton sounds a bit stilted, but could also have its place in a sentence such as “One thousand pounds is half of a ton.”
I’ve been searching for thirty minutes and I STILL can’t find a solid answer on how to correctly write a
875 or eight hundred seventy-five or eight hundred, seventy-five.
Both style manuals recommend 875. If you need to spell the number out (begins a sentence, a dollar amount written on a check, etc.), there’s no need for a comma (also see Rule 8a of Writing Numbers).
How do you write one trillion one hundred twenty five billion dollars?
$1,125,000,000,000
Which is correct:
“We invite you to the fourth program…”
OR
“We invite you to the 4th program….”
Writing 4th is considered informal. We recommend fourth in formal writing.
Is “6-monthly” correct in “a 6-monthly report”? The report is updated every 6 months.
As stated above, both of the leading style manuals recommend spelling out the number six. The compound adjective six-month may be a better choice to describe the noun report. However, we would write “biannual report.” While the terms biweekly and bimonthly have been misused to the point their meanings can be confused, biannual properly means only “twice a year.”
You suggested “biannual” rather than “six-month”; however, why not avoid potential confusion altogether and just use “semiannual”? Regardless of what the dictionary definition of “biannual” is, people might think that it means once every two years (following the pattern they’ve heard for “biweekly” or even for “biennial”), or at least not be confident that the writer used the word properly. On the other hand, no one ever doubts what “semiannual” means.
Using semiannual is certainly another option in this case. As we have written in our post Bi vs. Semi (weekly, monthly, annually), these words can cause tremendous confusion.
Which is correct in a book manuscript – 40s, 40’s, ’40s or forties (referring to 1940s)?
While all of them are acceptable (see our Rules 10, 11, and 12 for Writing Numbers), we lean toward forties, 1940s, or ’40s. Your editor may have a preferred method.
There appears to really be only 1 reason why Miss Smith asigns so much home work.
Kindly check mistakes in this sentence and correct the mistakes.
There appears to really be only one reason why Miss Smith assigns so much homework.
For a resume would you write:
1. “Honored for exemplary service three-times …”
OR
“Honored for exemplary service 3-times …”
2. “… identified the two segments that would drive 90% of our revenue.”
OR
“… identified the 2-segments that would drive 90% of our revenue.”
As the post states, both The Chicago Manual of Style and The Associated Press Stylebook recommend writing out the numbers two and three.
Also, a hyphen is not necessary in your sentences: therefore, we recommend the following:
“Honored for exemplary service three times …”
“… identified the two segments that would drive 90% of our revenue.”
Please see our Rules for Hyphens and our post Hyphens with Numbers.
If you’re writing about someone celebrating their fortieth birthday party and referring to it as a “fortieth” for short, is it ok to write it in numerals, e.g. “We are going to Latisha’s 40th” or should it be “We are going to Latisha’s fortieth”?
The Chicago Manual of Style recommends fortieth; however, the Associated Press Stylebook favors 40th. Therefore, it is up to the writer to choose a style.
Which is correct?
She welcomes her 11th grandchild home. OR
She welcomes her eleventh grandchild home.
The Chicago Manual of Style recommends eleventh; however, the Associated Press Stylebook favors 11th, which some may consider less formal. It is up to the writer to choose a style.
If there is a percentage in quoted material, do you use figures? For example: “I told him to take 5% of the profits.” Or would it be “I told him to take five percent of the profits.”? Thank you!
Percentages are expressed in numerals except when they occur at the beginning of a sentence. The Chicago Manual of Style recommends “In scientific and statistical copy use the symbol % for a percentage; in humanistic copy, the word percent.” Therefore, write “I told him to take 5 percent of the profits.”
which is correct?
– the limestone rocks reach a height of three hundred meter.
– the limestone rocks reach a height of 300 meter.
As the post states, the answer depends on which of the two style guides you are following. In addition, the plural form of the measurement meters should be used in your example.
The limestone rocks reach a height of three hundred meters. (Chicago Manual of Style)
The limestone rocks reach a height of 300 meters. (Associated Press Stylebook)
If a musician writing his memoirs describes equipment weight, is it spelled out or written with numerals?
…the B3 checked in at a hefty four hundred and twenty-five pounds. The 122 was an additional one hundred and twenty-five pounds.
Since both major style manuals advocate using numerals, we recommend writing 425 and 125. However, if for some reason one chooses to write the weights out, the word and should be omitted.
Although uncommon, is it incorrect English to word the year 1000 as “ten hundred” (instead of “one thousand”) and the year 2000 as “twenty hundred” (instead of “two thousand”)?
We know of no rules governing how we pronounce dates. It is usually influenced by context, region, and situation. People often speak using the simplest term with the fewest number of syllables (e.g., twelve hundred vs. one thousand two hundred). Generally, we hear others pronouncing dates, and as a population we seem to adopt what sounds best. Saying “ten hundred” and “twenty hundred” both seem awkward to us. We’ve not heard such terms used in either a mathematical or date context.
Which is correct: 6-12 months or six to 12 months?
Thanks.
Since both major style manuals advocate spelling out the number six, we recommend writing six to twelve months in daily formal writing.
Can I use either “in all 50 states” or “in all fifty states” in formal writing?
It depends on which style guide you are following. As the post states, The Chicago Manual of Style recommends spelling out the numbers zero through one hundred and using figures thereafter. The Associated Press Stylebook recommends spelling out the numbers zero through nine and using numerals thereafter. Either option is grammatically correct.
Which is correct in the following example?
Twenty-five people registered for the dinner, but only 60 showed up.
OR
Twenty-five people registered for the dinner, but only sixty showed up.
For consistency we prefer “Twenty-five people registered for the dinner, but only sixty showed up.” As the post states, the Chicago Manual of Style recommends spelling out the numbers zero through one hundred. However, the Associated Press Stylebook would spell out the first number because it starts the sentence and then use digits for the second number because it’s greater than ten. Therefore, it is up to you to choose a style and remain consistent.
I need to make table signs for a wedding. How do I write twenty-three so it’s on two lines. Do I put an hyphen at the end of twenty with three underneath it?
If you are not using numerals for your table signs, the number twenty-three requires a hyphen when written out.
You could write the table sign as:
Twenty-
three