Ten Rules for Writing Numbers by Arlene Miller, Grammar Diva

Ten Rules for Writing Numbers

JANUARY 19, 2018 BY ARLENE MILLER

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Which numbers are spelled out and which are written as numerals? It depends on the type of writing you are doing.  Here are some basic rules for writing numbers: 

1.In scientific or technical writing, spell out numbers one through nine, and use numerals for numbers 10 and higher. However, in literary writing — or writing in the humanities — spell out numbers through ninety-nine. And remember that twenty-one through ninety-nine are hyphenated when they are two words.

  1. In charts, figures, and tables, it if fine to use numerals for all your numbers. In fact, it is preferable and looks much better.
  2. Never begin a sentence with a numeral. Write out the number or rewrite the sentence so the number doesn’t appear at the beginning.
  • One hundred members of the band marched down the street.
  • We watched as 100 members of the band marched down the street.
  1. If you have a sentence with two numbers that refer to similar things, or the same thing, either write them both out or use numerals for both. It doesn’t matter what the numbers are.
  • We counted 9 boys and 112 girls at the girls’ softball game.
  • I made 6 dozen cookies and 150 cupcakes.
  1. Spell out very large numbers instead of using a series of zeroes — even in a chart or table.
  • The population of my city is nearly 2 million now OR
  • The population of my city is nearly two million now. 
  1. Dimensions, sizes and exact temperatures should be expressed in numerals.
  • The weather forecast calls for a high of 20 degrees tonight.
  • She wears a size 10 dress.
  1. Always use numerals along with a.m. or p.m.
  • Let’s meet at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow.
  1. With the word o’clock you can use either numerals or words.
  • The meeting is at two o’clock.
  • The meeting is at 2 o’clock.
  1. Hyphenate fractions like two-thirds when spelling them out. Apply the same usage rules to fractions as other numbers.
  2. Do not use firstly, secondly, and thirdly as transition words. Use first, second, and third.

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A Little Quiz to Begin 2018

A Little Quiz to Begin 2018

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Happy New Year, Grammar Lovers!

We all like taking quizzes, right? Especially when there is no one there to correct them for us. (sentence fragment)

Here is a grammar quiz to start the new year. After you finish, scroll way down to see the answers. For more detailed explanations of the answers, stay tuned for next week’s post. Here we go . . .

1. Is this book title capitalized correctly?  And We are Happy Again

 2. My mom gave snacks to my friend and (me, myself, I). 

3. Is something wrong with this sentence? If so, what? I heard about the meeting at the zoo.

4. Is something wrong with this sentence? If so, what? Topics covered during the seminar will include ordering new equipment, training employees on the new software, who will be the system administrator, and assigning tasks for maintaining the new lab.

5. Is this sentence okay? And we will have all the new furniture in time for our open house!

6. Is this sentence OK? The teacher told us we couldn’t leave our desks until the bell had rang.

7. (Who, whom) did you invite to the movies?

8. This is the closing of a letter: Sincerely (Yours, yours)

9. Is this sentence okay? I don’t know whom I am going with.

10. Can you identify the grammar issue in this sentence? He told me to carefully tear the coupons. 

11. Is this sentence okay? Why or why not? Joe and his friend tried to climb Mt. Whitney, but he was too out of shape.

12. What is the problem with this sentence? The meeting is at 8 a.m. in the morning.

 13. How would you fix this sentence? The coat, that has a blue hood, is mine.

 14. Between you and (I, me), I think he gave the tickets to (he, him) and Joe.

15.  Neither Carrie nor Katrina (are, is) playing in the concert.

16. I feel really (bad, badly) about missing the meeting.

17. Everyone who is going to the concert needs to bring (his or her, their) ticket.

18. My cat is (laying, lying) in the sun.

19. My sister, along with her friends, (are, is) coming with us.

20. If I (was, were) taller, I could reach that bookshelf.

21. Is this sentence correct? The class consists of nine boys and 16 girls.

22, Is this sentence correct? Drive slow through the fog.

23. She likes chocolate better than (I, me).

24. Is this sentence correct? Sitting on a bed of rice, the chicken looked delicious.

25. It is (they, them) knocking at the door.

Scroll down for the answers.

 

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One more time.

 

 

Answers:

  1. No. Capitalize Are.
  2. me
  3. Confusing. Was the meeting at the zoo, or did you hear about it while you were at the zoo?
  4. Not parallel. Add the word deciding before who, and it will be fixed!
  5. Yes. It is okay to start a sentence with a conjunction in most cases. I don’t like it in formal writing, though.
  6. had rung
  7. whom
  8. yours
  9. Yes. It is okay to end a sentence with a preposition in most cases. (Where are you at? is still wrong.)
  10. Split infinitive
  11. No. Confusing. To whom does he refer?
  12. Redundancy. if you write a.m., you don’t need to write morning.
  13. Take out both commas.
  14. me, him
  15. is
  16. bad
  17. either one is now fine.
  18. lying
  19. is
  20. were
  21. No. Write either 9 boys and 16 girls or nine boys and sixteen girls.
  22. Slowly is better than slow, but slow is acceptable.
  23. I
  24. yes
  25. They is technically correct.

 

 

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