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Standar English - writing numbers
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What is the standard way of writing numbers in British English? I've been told it's in letters up to nine, and thereafter in numerals. Is that correct?
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I would say yes, 9 times out 10. The numbers greater than nine are wriiten as figures and the numbers nine and below are written in full. However, there are exceptions.
If there is a mixture of numbers, nine and 10 for example, both are written as figures hence ma "9 times out of 10."
If a number begins a sentence, it is written as a word, for example,. "Twenty-two yards is the length of a cricket pitch"
If using abbreviations/symbols use figures, for example, "The wee one was 6lbs in weight"
Those are the rules I tend to use, no doubt Ms Truss has different views but.
If there is a mixture of numbers, nine and 10 for example, both are written as figures hence ma "9 times out of 10."
If a number begins a sentence, it is written as a word, for example,. "Twenty-two yards is the length of a cricket pitch"
If using abbreviations/symbols use figures, for example, "The wee one was 6lbs in weight"
Those are the rules I tend to use, no doubt Ms Truss has different views but.
The following is extracted from Hart's Rules, which is the authority according to Fowler's Modern English Usage as regards the writing of numbers...
"Numbers should be in words if less than 100 and if not within a specific reference, measurement, date, list or table or part of statistical data generally (e.g. the tenth century; a late-tenth-century manuscript; on twenty-six occasions). Otherwise they should be in figures."
So, page 26 is a specific reference...16 feet is a measurement...October 13th is a date...3 is the third heading in a list starting from 1...14 deaths in every 100 is statistical data and all of these should be in figures, not words. Otherwise, they should be written out as words as per the example, "on twenty-six occasions" suggested above.
"Numbers should be in words if less than 100 and if not within a specific reference, measurement, date, list or table or part of statistical data generally (e.g. the tenth century; a late-tenth-century manuscript; on twenty-six occasions). Otherwise they should be in figures."
So, page 26 is a specific reference...16 feet is a measurement...October 13th is a date...3 is the third heading in a list starting from 1...14 deaths in every 100 is statistical data and all of these should be in figures, not words. Otherwise, they should be written out as words as per the example, "on twenty-six occasions" suggested above.
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