I was pleased to see that several readers are enjoying this periodic series and asked for more. Thanks … and here you go with guidelines for writing numbers.
Use Figures
In most business writing, figures add emphasis, are easier to read, locate and take less space. Use figures to express dates, amounts of money, mixed numbers, distances, units of measures, etc.
- When smaller and larger numbers are in the same phrase, use numbers for both. Examples: “He needs 6 exempts and 32 non-exempts.”, “…the 5 & 10 cent store…”
- With ordinals (th, st, rd, nd) only when the number precedes a month. Examples: “Her review was postponed to July 9.”, “Her review was postponed to the 9th of July.”
- Without cents for even dollar amounts, but with cents for mixed amounts. Examples: “The chair cost $150.”, “The desk cost $279.95 and the chair $150.00.”
- When numbers represent numbers. Examples: “The committee voted 5 to 3 on the proposal.”, “She scored 92 on the pre-test.”
Spell Out Numbers
- One through nine, if no larger numbers appear in the same sentence. Examples: “We need six computers.”, “Bring two cups of coffee.”, “Buy two chairs.”
- If they begin a sentence. Examples: “Fifty people came to the meeting.”
- When used with “o’clock” for indicating time. Examples: “The meeting starts at ten o’clock.”, “It starts at 10 A.M.”
- The first number when two numbers are together in the same sentence. Examples: “He bought five 29-cent stamps.”, “She bought twenty-nine 5-cent stamps.”
- Street names through tenth. Examples; “The office is on Third Street.”, “It was on 27th Avenue.”
So, add these guidelines for writing number to the ‘Mechanics’ section of your Workplace Writer’s Tool Kit.