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Consistency: Treatment of Numbers

Deciding whether to write numbers as numerals or as number words is a matter of style. The style for a literary publication may differ from the style for a journalistic publication. The key in all cases is to use a consistent style throughout your writing.

Many publishers of literary works, such as literary journals and fiction books, prefer that you spell out all numbers less than 101, then switch to numerals for 101 and above. In contrast, most newspapers, scientific journals, and popular presses in the United States prefer that you spell out all numbers less than 10, then switch to numerals for 10 and above. For all types of publications, if you use a numeral for one element of a category within a paragraph, you should use a numeral for all other elements of that category within that paragraph. For instance, in a literary work, you might write the following: “In the enclosed masterpiece, you will find ninety-nine chapters.” For most other writing, you might write the following: “We published 10 novels last year, 1 of which included 99 chapters.”

There is no global right or wrong, other than to be consistent within your own writing. If you’re using numerals for 10 and above, stick to that throughout your writing. If you’re choosing numerals just for 101 and above, spell out all smaller numbers throughout your writing.

For more tips on how to treat numbers in writing, see Jane Straus’s web page, http://grammarbook.com/numbers/numbers.asp.

 

Pop Quiz
Assume you are following the rules adhered to by popular presses in the United States.

1A. I needed only five copies of the test, not 50.
1B. I needed only five copies of the test, not fifty.
1C. I needed only 5 copies of the test, not 50.
1D. I needed only 5 copies of the test, not fifty.

2A. Please give Arthur four pencils with erasers and 15 blank sheets of paper to complete the assignment.
2B. Please give Arthur four pencils with erasers and fifteen blank sheets of paper to complete the assignment.
2C. Please give Arthur 4 pencils with erasers and 15 blank sheets of paper to complete the assignment.
2D. Please give Arthur 4 pencils with erasers and fifteen blank sheets of paper to complete the assignment.

3A. We will need three pies to feed 12 students and twelve pies to feed 50 students.
3B. We will need three pies to feed twelve students and twelve pies to feed fifty students.
3C. We will need 3 pies to feed 12 students and 12 pies to feed 50 students.
3D. We will need 3 pies to feed twelve students and 12 pies to feed fifty students.

Answers

1B. I only needed five copies of the test, not fifty.
Since the number five comes first, we follow the standard format of writing out numbers less than 10. Since both numbers are representing copies, to be consistent, we should write out both numbers.

2A. Please give Arthur four pencils with erasers and 15 blank sheets of paper to complete the assignment.
Since the number four comes first, we follow the standard format of writing out numbers less than 10. Since the second number represents sheets of paper, not pencils, we should use numerals as it is 10 or above.

3A. We will need three pies to feed 15 students and twelve pies to feed 60 students.
Since the number three comes first, we follow the standard format of writing out numbers less than 10. Since three represents pies, we will also write out twelve since it, too, represents pies. Since the number of students is above nine, we will use digits to represent 15 and 60.

Posted on Monday, August 27th, 2012, at 2:31 pm

2 Comments

2 Responses to “Consistency: Treatment of Numbers”

  1. Buffy B. says:
    August 29, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    Many years ago I worked for the Dallas Morning News. This was before I retired to teaching school in later years. I always understood that the word only could convey different things depending on its location in the sentence.

    “I only needed five copies of the test.” Since it preceeds the verb I take that to mean that none of the other teachers needed any copies of the test. I only or only I…..I alone needed the copies. However if it had read, I needed only five copies of the test, it would have referred, not to me, but to the number which I needed. Other teachers may have needed other numbers. We
    don’t know, but it is a possibility.

    Reply
    • Jane says:
      August 29, 2012 at 1:22 pm

      You are correct that the placement of the word only in a sentence can convey different subtle or not so subtle meanings. In the case of Pop Quiz question No. 1, we don’t know whether that particular person was speaking just for himself or herself or not. Of course, for our purpose of determining whether to write out the numbers or use numerals, it doesn’t matter.

      I do think that the wording “I needed only five copies of the test, not fifty” more clearly conveys that is the number of tests that particular person needed. I am going to change the wording accordingly in the blog.

      Reply

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