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Numbers
Numbers don't have to be confusing, although
because grammar and style manuals don't always agree on the details, they
are. But there are a few basic rules, with the inevitable
exceptions, that can help.
First there's the figure style, which is
used in ordinary commercial business correspondence, technical documents, and
informal communications.
| 1.
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Spell out numbers
from 1 to 10, and use figures for numbers 11 and over. Use figures
for 1-10 only when the numbers have technical significance, as in the
first sentence in #1, or need to stand out for quick understanding. |
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There were ten people at last
Wednesday's meeting.
There will be 17 people at the meeting on Thursday. |
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| 2.
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Use words when a
number is the first word in a sentence, except when it's a calendar
year. Then use the exact figure for less
confusion. |
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Eight hundred people attended
the concert. (OR: There were 800 people at the concert.)
2003 looks like it will be a great year for us! |
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| 3. |
Because figures
are so specific, use words when you're trying to suggest a less definite
idea.
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I have a million chores to do
today! |
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| 4. |
When talking
about age, usually use figures.
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My son is 12 years old.
She's a 32-year-old woman. |
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| 5. |
When mixing
quantities over and under ten, use the same style (usually figures) with
related items. Mix them for unrelated ones. |
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We need 3 steaks, 18
hamburgers, and 24 hotdogs for the party.
We painted all 11 rooms in three weeks! |
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| 6. |
With large
numbers or sums of money, take pity on your readers; unless you're
writing a technical document or a table, use figures and words so your
readers won't have to count zeroes!
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We'll
need two million votes to win.
The state budget exceeded $3 billion last
year. |
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| 7. |
But: treat related numbers alike.
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We save 2,355,889 barrels of oil in 1999; last year, we
saved only 1,500,000. |
The word style is used usually in
high-level executive correspondence, when you're looking for formality. It
is also the style we usually use in invitations, where elegance is the
goal. This style allows for more words, even with items under ten.
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