Comments on: Writing Numbers

By: Jane

Jane — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:14:46 +0000

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.

Joel — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:37:56 +0000

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 . . .

When I was seven years old, my brothers dared me . . .

Jane — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:02:10 +0000

You would want to be consistent: Prince Michael, 12; Paris, 11; and Prince Michael II, 7.

Simon — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:58:29 +0000

What about consistency with age i.e.

“Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael II, seven,”

is this correct?

cheers

Jane — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:55:30 +0000

82 metres long (or meters in American English)
82-metre tunnel

Suze — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:25:58 +0000

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^^

Jane — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:11:44 +0000

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.”

Kris — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 18:28:40 +0000

I would like to know if you put dashes in between four and a half, etc.

Jane — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:11:00 +0000

I recommend using “cost of $1 to $3 million.”

Dinah Luneke — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:45:00 +0000

How would I correctly write “project cost of $1 to 3 million…” Is the dollar sign needed in the second instance?