Writing Numbers
English has many rules for writing numbers and just as many authorities disagreeing with each other about them. Here are some general rules that you may wish to keep handy.
Rule: Spell out single-digit whole numbers.
Example: I would like five copies.
Rule: Use numerals for numbers greater than nine.
Example: I would like 10 copies.
Rule: Be consistent within a category. If you choose numerals because one of the numbers is greater than nine, use numerals for all numbers in that category. If you choose to spell out numbers because one of the numbers is a single digit, spell out all numbers in that category.
Examples:
My 10 cats fought with their 2 cats.
OR
My ten cats fought with their two cats.
Incorrect: I asked for five pencils, not 50.
Rule: If you have numbers in different categories, use numerals for one category and spell out the other.
Example: Given the budget constraints, if all 30 history students attend the four plays, then the 7 math students will be able to attend only two plays.
Note that students are represented with figures and plays are represented with words.
Examples:
I asked for 30 pencils for my five employees.
I have 10 toes but only one nose.
Quiz:
A or B?
1. A. I have 11 cats and two turtles. B. I have eleven cats and 2 turtles.
2. A. We have 23 people in our class. B. We have twenty-three people in our class.
3. A. I need 3 pieces of paper, not twelve. B. I need 3 pieces of paper, not 12.
Answers:
1. A
2. A
3. B
Posted on Saturday, April 14th, 2007, at 4:33 am
126 Responses to “Writing Numbers”
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She gets up at four thirty! Should we not use a dash between four and thirty?
According to the Chicago Manual of Style, no hyphen is used with time.
Hello, I would like to know how to write out the numbers 138 and 100.38 if they are not monetary numbers, please?
When I was at school (I am not English native speaker?, I was taught that an “and” should only be added between the hundred and ten (twenty……), eg.
123 one hundred and twenty three
123,456 one hundred and twenty three thousand four hundred and fifty six
123.45 one hundred and twenty three point four five
Am I correct? If not, could you please tell me what is the correct way to write out these numbers?? Thanks!
No “and” except to replace a decimal point.
123 = one hundred twenty-three (Do use the hyphen for all compound numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine.)
23.45 = twenty-three and forty-five hundredths
How does one go about age in writing? Should one spell the age or use numerals? Ex.: “A twenty-year-old student” vs. “A 20-year-old student.” Thanks!
Both “twenty-year-old student” and “a 20-year-old student” are correct.
When writing numbers of different denominations, is consistency the key, e.g., $25 instead of $25.00 and (in the same sentence) $400 (no zeroes).
“I earned $25 for a total of $400 . . . ”
Thank you.
Yes.
Thank you Jane; this was most helpful.
Today, I’ve notice the time of day written without the periods after
6pm. Is this correct?
You can write PM, p.m., or pm
When writing the age of a person or object, what is the correct placement of hyphens? For example, do you write, “the sixteen-year-old boy” or “the seven-year old program”?
the sixteen-year-old boy
the seven-year-old program
I recommend using “cost of $1 to $3 million.”
How would I correctly write “project cost of $1 to 3 million…” Is the dollar sign needed in the second instance?
I would like to know if you put dashes in between four and a half, etc.
Kris,
Use the hyphen this way: four and one-half
I’m not sure that you would use a hyphen if you write “four and a half.”
When describing the length of an object, which one is correct?
It is 82-metre long. OR It is 82 metres long.
It is an 82-metre-tunnel.
Thanks^^
82 metres long (or meters in American English)
82-metre tunnel
What about consistency with age i.e.
“Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael II, seven,”
is this correct?
cheers
You would want to be consistent: Prince Michael, 12; Paris, 11; and Prince Michael II, 7.
I have a hyphen conundrum.
Which is correct? Or are they both right? And Why?
When I was seven-years-old, my brothers dared me . . .
or
When I was seven years old, my brothers dared me . . .
When the age is used as an adjective followed by a noun, hyphenate.
Examples: He is a seven-year-old boy.
He is seven years old.
Is this correct in casual and formal writing?
In my 20s and 30s, I rode a bike.
Yes, it is correct to write the following: In my 20s and 30s, I rode a bike.
What is the difference between
She is a 9 year old girl. and She is 9 years old.
Why is year plural in one and singular in the other and why do we add an article ‘a’ and it changes to singular (year)
She is a 9-year-old girl.
Use hyphens to form a compound adjective in front of a noun.
She is 9 years old.
There is no noun following so no hyphens are used.
“She is 9 years old.” Years is not simply a plural, it’s a plural possessive pronoun. Correct punctuation dictates that it is written, “She is 9 years’ old.”
The word years is simply a plural. It is not a pronoun and it does not indicate possession.
Hi, Jane!
If “years old” are not mentioned in a sentence, would that then mean that ages should be written using the “default” number writing rules of spelling out ages under 10, or should the age be expressed as a numeral regardless?
Ex:
She’s four and hasn’t started first grade. (And, whoops — 1st or first?)
-or-
She’s 4 and hasn’t started first grade.
Thanks in advance. This has proven an *awesome* resource for myself and my transcribers.
You can use either a numeral or a word to express ages under 10. Some resources prefer the word spelled out: She’s four and hasn’t started first grade.
Yes, “first” is preferred over “1st” but it’s not a big deal.
question about writing age…
ok, so “in 1993 he was twenty-six” is correct and “in 1993 he was 26″ is incorrect
i know that you said if you have two different categories of numbers, to differentiate between the two, but what is the rule for writing someone’s age in general?
It is fine to write “In 1993 he was 26.”
Hi,
How could i write the following number:
$1,199.02. What I have to use for the decimal part.
Thanks,
one thousand, one hundred ninety-nine dollars and two cents
“and” replaces the decimal point.
I have to write a report and I want to combine the sentence to include the age and gender of the child.
Right now it looks like this….
Bobby is a 10 years old and 3 months old male.
I’ve tried a bunch of variations of this and none of them look quite right. How should I write that sentence?
“Bobby is a 10-year, 3-month-old male.”
OR
“Bobby is a 10 1/4-year-old male.”
Hi, Jane,
I’m from Brazil. Sorry but I do not write well. I’m learning your language. How I can write this?
We examined 102 12 year old children from public schools in Manaus.
Is it correct in English these numbers together? Or I need to write someone … well I don’t know how to write the word, will be in full “por extenso”, like twelve?
Thank you, in advance.
102 12-year-old children
OR
102 twelve-year-old children
Jane,
Please, I have two doubts:
1st. Are there rules about numbers and the degree symbol?
e.g.
… and different temperatures of 30°C for the white one, and 10, 20 and 35°C for the purple one…
or
… and different temperatures of 30°C for the white one, and 10ºC, 20ºC and 35°C for the purple one…
2nd- How I use numbers and the symbol of percentage?
…80 and 95% of the respondents or 80 percent and 95 percent of …
Thank you in advanced
It is best to write these examples as follows: 10ºC, 20ºC, and 35°C AND
80 percent and 95 percent OR
80% and 95%
Otherwise, your reader will not know what you are talking about until the end.
Hi, Jane,
I have some douts again about numbers and symbols:
(1) patients scored the pain levels 24, 48, 72 and 120 hours after using the tab…
(2) … available for 48-72 hours before… or … available for 48 and 72 hours before…
(3) She retorned at 24-h (is it correct?) yesterday
Thank you
1. Patients scored the pain levels 24, 48, 72, and 120 hours after using the tab. (I advise using the comma before “and” in a series to avoid any confusion: Commas, Rule 1)
2. “48-72 hours before” is correct If you mean continuously over that period of time. “48 and 72 hours before” is correct if you mean only at those two points in time.
3. She returned at 2400 hours yesterday. (That would be correct for military time, if you’re stating what time she returned.) or
She returned after 24 hours. (If you are stating how long it was before she returned.)
Dear Jane,
I have a question about the singular/ plural use in age.
Isn’t it common to say, “She is one years old” ?
But is this correct? Would you pluralize the age of one
just as we singularize,”My ten-year-old” ?
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
No, do not pluralize year. Examples: My one year old. My one-year-old daughter. My ten year old. My ten-year-old daughter.
Dear Jane,
When referring to age with the Be verb –
Don’t we say, “She is one years old?”
Thank you for your clarification
It is better to say, “She is a one year old.” I’m not sure it’s wrong to say, “She is one years old,” but I would avoid it.
Hello Jane,
How about when I’m listing a series of ages, all of which will share the same ‘years-old’ at the end of the list – do a put a hanging hyphen at the end of each number?
Ex: 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds.
-or-
10, 11 and 12-year-olds.
Thank for doing this, by the way.
-John
AP Stylebook recognizes this as a suspensive hyphen. It is used when hyphenated words occur in sets of two or more and the first or second part of the compound is only used once.
10-, 11-, and 12-year olds
Is this correct?
A group of 7.5 — to 12-year-old children
Or, should it be written this way?
A group of 7.5- to 12-year-old children…
The use of a decimal number seems awkward in this sentence. It would seem more natural to use fractions when speaking of ages. Also, in the phrase “A group of 7 1/2- to 12-year-old children,” the hyphenated phrasal adjective “7 1/2- to 12-year-old” seems to be slightly confusing to the reader. According to The Chicago Manual of Style 5.91, “If a phrasal adjective becomes awkward, the sentence should probably be recast.” I would, therefore, reword to say, “A group of children ranging in ages from 7 1/2 to 12 years old.”
So you’re saying on an earlier post that if someone is giving a range of ages that it should be written 13 to 19 year olds, not 13-to-19 year olds?
Thank you.
You could write “13- to 19-year-olds.” It is called a suspended hyphen. Or, you could rewrite the sentence in non-adjectival form as children ranging in age from 13 to 19 years old.
Are both of these correct?
one-quarter liter pottery pitchers
and
1/4-liter pottery pitchers
Thanks!
Always spell out simple fractions and use hyphens with them.
one-quarter liter pottery pitchers
I often hear people say August of 2008. Is this written out like that? I always change it to August 2008. Thanks!
You’re right, when writing dates, the word “of” should not be included. However, many people do insert the word “of” when speaking about a date.
How does this look?
Requirements for a 17-year-old student requesting to enroll in JCJC Adult Basic Education/GED Preparation Classes:
It looks correct as written.
MLA requires that all numbers below 100 be spelled out. Is is exclusive to APA that numbers above 10 may be expressed in Arabic digits?
Not all authorities agree on the rules. The Chicago Manual of Style (9.2) advises spelling out whole numbers from zero through one hundred. The use of numerals above 10 is not exclusive to APA. The U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual (12.4) states, “A figure is used for a single number of 10 or more with the exception of the first word of the sentence.”
Grammarbook‘s Rule 1 likewise recommends spelling out single-digit whole numbers and using numerals for numbers greater than nine.
What’s the rule with writing people’s height?
For example, “He’s already 6 feet 1 inch tall.” Is that correct? If not, how would I do that properly?
Thanks:)
AP Stylebook advises using figures and spelling out inches, feet, etc. to indicate height. Therefore,”He’s already 6 feet 1 inch tall” is correct.
I’m writing about my son’s “two month” checkup, “three month,” etc. Is it spelled out or numerical. Also, it it hyphenated? Thank you. Helpful site!
It would be spelled out and hyphenated.
“two-month checkup”
“three-month checkup”
oops!
what I meant was…Which is right?
A man in his early fifty’s…or
A man in his early fifties…
Thanks!
“A man in his early fifties” would be right.
How would you write in a report that a child can skip count in twos, fives and tens, if it is abbreviated? 2′s or 2s
You would write 2s without an apostrophe.
But is it better to write “early fifties” or “early 50s?”
When referring to someone’s age, “early fifties” would be best.
Which one is correct: fifteen-year marriage or fifteen year marriage
In my blog titled “Numbers as Adjectives” the rule says, “Generally, hyphenate between two or more adjectives when they come before a noun and act as a single idea. This rule can also be applied when a number and a measurement unit taken together form an adjective, that is, when they describe another object.” Therefore, fifteen-year marriage would be correct.
Hello,
At work I have to spell out dollar amounts in professional documents, but we have a disagreement on which is the correct way.
I believe to write it in check format is proper:
“One thousand, seven hundred sixty-three and 42/100 dollars ($1,763.42)”
But it is argued that :
“One thousand, seven hundred sixty-three dollars and forty-two cents ($1,763.42)” is also correct.
we always incude the numerical representation in parentheses for clarity. Is there a truely correct way? or is it just aesthetic?
Thanks!
My recommended format is covered in Rule 7 of Writing Numbers: One thousand seven hundred sixty-three dollars and forty-two cents.
When writing numbers as if you were counting, do you put a semicolon after each number? Example: One, one thousand; two, one thousand: three, one thousand and so on.
You would not need to use semicolons if you did not use commas after one, two, three, etc. One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand…
Hello Jane,
First, thank you for having such a great online resource. I’ve found myself coming to your site often and just ordered your book off Amazon. I have come to you today with a couple of questions until your book arrives. I have 2 passages in my writing, in which I am questioning how I refer to a character’s age. They read as follow:
Passage 1
Cara, 12, sat motionless in her seat belt, her blonde hair washing over her lifeless face in the icy water. Lori, 7, was out of her seatbelt and pressed against the ceiling.
Passage 2
Marilyn’s eyes darted to 5-year-old Katelyn who was strapped into her car seat in the middle.
Given that (12) is not a single digit, the rules seem to dictate that it needs to be spelled out, but I’m not sure since in the very next line I refer to another child at age (7), which follows a rule to use a numeral for a single digit. Are these correct the way I have then? Or do I need to spell out (12), (7) and (5). Also is the punctuation correct? Character name (comma) age (comma) rest of sentence.
Thank you in advance for your skill and insight.
Kind Regards,
Chris
Rule 2 of “Writing Numbers” states, “Be consistent within a category. For example, if you choose numerals because one of the numbers is greater than nine, use numerals for all numbers in that category. If you choose to spell out numbers because one of the numbers is a single digit, spell out all numbers in that category.
Setting the characters’ ages off in commas is consistent with Rule 11 of “Commas” since giving the characters names sufficiently identify them. Good luck with your writing; sounds like you’re dealing with a tragic event.
Hi Jane,
Silly note but fun. I went back to Amazon and found your book on Kindle so i canceled my purchase for the hard copy and ordered the Kindle version. Its great I’m paging through it on my PC version of Kindle. Thanks. I look forward to your response.
Kind Regards,
Chris
Does “up to age 13″ include 13?
The phrase “up to” indicates a limit or boundary. Most likely it would only include age 13 if it said, “up to and including age 13.” It can, however, be ambiguous and open to interpretation, so it may be best to inquire specifically
Hi Jane,
After reading through all your eye-opening responses to inquiries about “Writing Numbers”, I’m still left with a question which has been of much debate at my workplace, so I decided to submit it.
Which is/are correct:
“He’s willing to pay eleven five for the car”
“He’s willing to pay eleven, five for the car”
“He’s willing to pay 11 – 5 for the car”
“He’s willing to pay 11, 5 for the car”
I look forward to your insightful response. Thank you.
This
Uh, oh, looks like I’m under pressure to be insightful in my explanation.
If you were writing this out formally, you would write either:
“He’s willing to pay $11,500 for the car.” OR
“He’s willing to pay eleven thousand, five hundred dollars for the car.”
If we extend this methodology from our Rules for Writing Numbers to your informal, but commonly spoken, way of expressing the dollar figure, either of these two would be comparable:
“He’s willing to pay eleven, five for the car.” OR
“He’s willing to pay 11, 5 for the car.”
However, this is such an informal verbal expression that there may not be any absolutely correct way to write it. “He’s willing to pay eleven five for the car” also captures it in a way that’s true to how it sounds when spoken. One thing for sure, you wouldn’t want to rely on the informally written rendition in an actual automobile purchase!
how do I write 4’6” in an essay? Is it “She was four-feet-six-inches tall or she was four feet and sic inches tall or what?
The rule in our blog “Writing Numbers as Adjectives” says, “Generally, hyphenate between two or more adjectives when they come before a noun and act as a single idea. When measurements are not acting as adjectives, hyphens are not needed.” Since four feet six inches is not in front of a noun, you do not need to hyphenate.
She was four feet six inches tall. OR
She was 4 feet 6 inches tall.
Which one is the correct way to write a monetary amount?
Michelle, can you lend me $5 until tomorrow?
Michelle, can you lend me $5.00 until tomorrow?
Michelle, can you lend me five dollars until tomorrow?
Thank-you
The style manuals do not seem to agree on words vs. numbers in regard to monetary amounts. AP Stylebook recommends figures with the dollar sign and the Chicago Manual of Style says that references to money should be spelled out for whole numbers of one hundred or less. All of your examples are correct.The best strategy is to be consistent.
Hi Jane –
Working for a University of Medical students and we continue to have an ongoing discussion on the age and how to properly write it out. I have done so much research and feel even more confused, as most research shows both ways and says that it is one’s preference on how to do it. The easier to read is what most say…can you help?
A 20 year-old student was examining…..
A 20-year-old student was examining…..
A twenty year-old student
A twenty-year-old student
Once you reply, is there any site or book that you can refer us to that really shows that one is proper and the other isn’t and that it’s not just a preference…?
Our blog “Hyphens with Numbers” addresses part of your question. The rule states, “When you’re combining two or more words to form a compound adjective in front of a noun, put hyphens between these words.” Regarding whether to write out numbers or use numerals, Rule 1 in our Grammarbook “Writing Numbers” section says, “Spell out single-digit whole numbers. Use numerals for numbers greater than nine.” Rule 2 states, “Be consistent within a category. For example, if you choose numerals because one of the numbers is greater than nine, use numerals for all numbers in that category. If you choose to spell out numbers because one of the numbers is a single digit, spell out all numbers in that category. If you have numbers in different categories, use numerals for one category and spell out the other.”
Therefore, A 20-year-old student is correct.
You are right that not all authorities agree. For example, the Chicago Manual of Style (9.2) says, “In nontechnical contexts, Chicago advises spelling out whole numbers from zero through one hundred and certain round multiples of those numbers.” On the other hand, AP Stylebook says for ages, “Always use figures.” Since you are in the medical field, you may also wish to consult the AMA Manual of Style.
I almost always include an “s” when I say “one years old”. For example, “Her baby is one years old.” My wife is an English teacher and always corrects me, “Her baby is one year old.” However my wife is not a native speaker like me (as I). Who´s right? Have I been using this term wrong my whole life? I said both ways are correct.
Your wife is correct. Since one is singular, use the singular word year.
Her baby is one year old.
If I wanted to change this phrase “I went on a 25-month vacation,” by separating it into years and months, would I write “I went on a two-year and one-month vacation?”
The rule in our “Numbers as Adjectives” blog states, “Generally, hyphenate between two or more adjectives when they come before a noun and act as a single idea.” Based on this rule, you would write, “I went on a two-year-and-one-month vacation.” Since this is a bit awkward, you may want to revert to your original sentence, “I went on a 25-month vacation.”
…he continues to be the biggest HERO to his 4 children, Nina-age 15, Nadia-16, Raul III-age-21 and Saul, just 5 years old.
What is the correct way to write the above sentence? It has the number of children (4) or (four), and their respective ages. Should their ages be hyphenated or not? Should the five year old be (5) or (five). I just don’t know where to begin.
Also is it correct to write the ‘five year old’ or the ‘five years old?’
First, let’s lay out the rules that apply to your situation.
Rule 1 of Writing Numbers on our website states, “Spell out single-digit whole numbers. Use numerals for numbers greater than nine.”
Rule 2 states, “Be consistent within a category. For example, if you choose numerals because one of the numbers is greater than nine, use numerals for all numbers in that category . . .If you have numbers in different categories, use numerals for one category and spell out the other.”
Rule 1 in the “Colons” section of our grammar rules says, “Use the colon after a complete sentence to introduce a list of items when introductory words such as namely, for example, or that is do not appear.” Also Rule 4 in the “Semicolons” section of GrammarBook’s rules states, “Use the semicolon to separate units of a series when one or more of the units contain commas.”
Therefore:
He continues to be the biggest hero to his four children: Nina, age 15; Nadia, 16; Raul III, age 21; and Saul, just 5 years old.
which is correct? i graduated four-year-course or i graduated for years course?
Neither of those sentences is grammatically correct. A college class is often referred to as a course and it would be highly unlikely to take four years to complete. You might say, “I graduated after a four-year program in engineering/history/biology/etc. at X University/College” or “I graduated after a four-year course of study in engineering/history/biology/etc. at X University/College.”
All Age Pinewood Derby or All Ages Pinewood Derby?
All Ages Pinewood Derby
My boss likes to say our people have 20+ years in the energy business. Should the + be a superscript?
The use of a plus sign after a number to indicate more than is a very informal usage. I have never seen it used as a superscript. A more formal way to express this would be: Our people have over 20 years in the energy business. (It’s unclear from either expression whether this experience is collective or individual.)
What is the correct way to write the age range and use of hyphens in the following sentence where the purpose is to identify if a person is a parent/guardian of a child who is aged between thirteen and seventeen?
Also, should the word “year” be pluralised?
Are you a parent or a legal guardian of a 13-17 years old child?
OR
Are you a parent or a legal guardian of a 13-17-year-old child?
Your sentence could benefit from some rewording because it has two different but similar punctuation marks in close quarters. The first one is an en dash, roughly the width of an n, and is a little longer than a hyphen. It is used for periods of time when you might otherwise use to. The second one is a hyphen, which is used between two or more adjectives when they come before a noun and act as a single idea. The sentence looks a little confusing written this way: Are you a parent or a legal guardian of a 13—17-year-old child?
I recommend rewording to:
Are you a parent or legal guardian of a child 13—17 years old? or
Are you a parent or legal guardian of a child 13 to 17 years old?
Can we say : I`m nine and a half years old?
Rule 4 in our “Writing Numbers” section says, “A mixed fraction can be expressed in figures unless it is the first word of a sentence.” Therefore, you can either write “I’m nine and one-half years old,” or “I’m 9 1/2 years old.” It is common in American spoken English to use the less formal, “I’m nine and a half years old,” but it should not be written that way in spite of Two And A Half Men.
I recently was involved in an argument w/ couple co-workers with the correct
usage of numbers in sentences.
I was informing them what they were doing wasn’t grammatically correct,
however even after reading the rules from the following:
http://www.grammarbook.com/contact.asp
I’m sure they will still insist that since there wasn’t a rule against it,
it would be fine.
Is the following grammatically correct?
The two (2) satellites with the traveling wave tubes have been screened and
tested?
I was under the impression having the redundancy of the #2 after spelling it
out was incorrect, please clarify?
Thank you.
v/r
J. M
Our blog “Writing Numbers as Words” asks the same question and provides a rule of thumb:
Isn’t it unnecessary to have both numerals and words for the same number? For example: “We will need 220 (two hundred twenty) chairs.”
Rule of Thumb: There are two reasons for using both: 1. You are more likely to make an error when typing a numeral than when typing a word AND much less likely to spot the error when proofreading. 2. If your document is dense, has a lot of numbers, or contains large numbers, the numerical form helps your readers scan information quickly.
So by typing a combination of a numeral and a word, you are almost guaranteed accuracy and ease of reading.
Thus, you or your coworkers would need to decide whether your document meets these criteria for required accuracy and ease of reading or not.
Hi Jane,
I have been unable to find anything concrete on how to hyphenate numbers over one hundred that also modify a noun.
ex: one hundred thirty-one text messages
or: one-hundred-thirty-one text messages
I know that normally you would hyphenate the entire compound adjective, but I was not sure if this applied to numbers as well. What do you think?
Thanks.
Our blog “Numbers as Adjectives” has more information and examples on this topic. Only hyphenate between a number and a measurement unit taken together when they form a compound adjective such as a one-hundred-thirty-one-page report. When measurements are not acting as compound adjectives, hyphens are not needed. Your example is a simple number, therefore, the only hyphen required is in thirty-one.
one hundred thirty-one text messages
I couldn’t locate anything in your column about how to refer to time in a fiction novel. Here’s how I’d do it.
It was about six thirty in the evening. NOTE: The reason I don’t hyphenate is that the sentence really means: It was about six hours thirty minutes in the evening. In this case “hours” and “minutes” are understood but not written.
However I would write: She turned thirty-six today. This is because there’s nothing understood between the “thirty and the “six”. Of course “years” is understood after “thirty-six”.
“What time is it?” Pete asked.
John glanced down at his watch. “It’s exactly 6:36 pm.”
“Thanks.”
The blogs (columns) are often expansions on only individual rules contained on our website. Your questions are covered by the rules in the Writing Numbers section of GrammarBook.com. Rule 12 says, in part, “Normally, spell out the time of day in text even with half and quarter hours. Example: She gets up at four thirty before the baby wakes up.” Rule 13 says “Use numerals with the time of day when exact times are being emphasized or when using A.M. or P.M. Example: Monib’s flight leaves at 6:22 A.M.” Rule 15 says “Hyphenate all numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine.”
Hello,
Is this correct grammer? It’s in an ad for a dog:
“I’m 1 year & 4 months old”
or should it be “I’m 1 year 4 months old”
Thank you so much!
I’m 1 year, 4 months old.
Hi,
How about fractions as referenced in recipes? Should I write:
“Cut into 1/2-inch slices.” or,
“Cut into 1/2 inch slices.”
Thanks in advance,
-B
The rule in our blog Hyphens with Numbers states, “When you’re combining two or more words to form a compound adjective in front of a noun, put hyphens between these words.” Since the measurement is a compound adjective describing the noun slices, use a hyphen.
Cut into 1/2-inch slices.
NOTE: Although our Fractions, Decimals, and Money blog says, “Always spell out simple fractions and use hyphens with them,” for recipes AP Stylebook says, “Always use figures.”
On wedding invites the year is written out and includes the word “and”, for example Two Thousand and Twelve. This always annoys me when I see it because I don’t believe the “and” is correct. Am I right?
In British English, the year is pronounced two thousand and twelve rather than the American English form two thousand twelve. Americans often consider British English more formal, therefore you will often see British spellings appear in invitations, especially wedding invitations.
I’ve been seeing two ways to write height across the board, which is correct according the Chicago Manual of Style? I have seen 5’4 and 5’4″.
The Chicago Manual of Style’s abbreviation table 10.69 says, “In the following examples, note that the proper symbols for foot and inch are prime (′) and double prime (″), not the single (’) and double (”) quotation mark:
LENGTH
in. or ″ inch
ft. or ′ foot
Therefore, write 5′4″. In Word, find the prime and double prime marks using Insert, Symbol.
Dear Jane,
When do we say each of these:
11 year old
11 years old
11 year olds
cause I have been reading articles and found these three representation of age and got confused.
I really appreciate your time and effort
Our Rule 1 of Writing Numbers states, “Spell out single-digit whole numbers. Use numerals for numbers greater than nine.” The phrase eleven-year-old or eleven-year-olds can be used as a compound adjective to describe a noun. Our Blog Hyphens with numbers says, “When you’re combining two or more words to form a compound adjective in front of a noun, put hyphens between these words.”
Examples:
That is an eleven-year-old table.
The spelling bee winner was an eleven-year-old.
The phrase eleven-year-olds refers to more than one person who is eleven years of age.
Example:
The winner was a team of eleven-year-olds.
The phrase eleven years old is used to describe a person, animal, or thing that is eleven years old.
Examples:
Our house is eleven years old.
Mark’s son is eleven years old.
Hi Jane,
Great resource. As an editor I pop by here from time to time, rather than pore over my CMOS tome. I thought it would be good to point out, as I did not see it mentioned here, that CMOS recommends that ALL numbers be written out in dialogue or at the start of a sentence. For example: He was born in 1958. But: Nineteen fifty-eight was the year he was born. Or: John said, “He was born in nineteen fifty-eight.”
Thanks for the great site.
Our Rule 16 of Writing Numbers states, “Write out a number if it begins a sentence.” Thank you for pointing out the dialogue rule.
Hi Jane ! Please solve this sentence !
The 1st to 4th February are our Father King funeral, and I am on leave on 5th February 2013.
Should we use plural or singular verb after the duration with date.
Our rule of Dashes says, “An en dash, roughly the width of an n, is a little longer than a hyphen. It is used for periods of time when you might otherwise use to…To form an en dash with most PCs, type the first number or word, then hold down the ALT key while typing 0150 on the numerical pad on the right side of your keyboard. Then type the second number or word.” Also, our Rule 8 of Writing Numbers states, “The following examples apply when using dates:
Examples:
The meeting is scheduled for June 30.
The meeting is scheduled for the 30th of June.”
Therefore, if I understand your intention correctly, I recommend rewording to the following:
February 1–4 are the dates for Father King’s funeral and I am on leave on February 5, 2013.