Numbers, Numbers, and More Numbers
When I taught English and composition and newspaper, yearbook,
and literary magazine, I had to be aware of which hat I was
wearing in which class. The rules for writing agreed in most
instances, but a few were different, such as when to write
numbers in figures and when to spell them out in words.
Generally, in literary writing, numbers under 100 were
spelled-out, and in journalistic writing, numbers under 10 were.
Now, though, I'm seeing numbers presented in all kinds of ways.
Therefore, I decided to see if "rules" had been changed. In the
August 2005 issue of The Writer magazine, I found a whole
article on numerals titled "Number know-how."
"But what difference how numbers are presented?" I can hear
someone asking.
The answer is professionalism. We need our writings to appear as
professional as possible if we want editors to consider our
written words seriously.
Arthur Plotnik states, in the August issue of The Writer, "Most
style conventions serve economy, emphasis and clarity (through
consistency). That, in turn, serves readers," when speaking of
the syntax of writing numbers. He gives points in the article
addressing when to use figures and when to spell-out numbers,
that agree with information found in many text books, and in my
own notes and lesson plans.
1. Focus on your genre. The main points are found in the style
manual a publisher follows. Therefore, we need to be familiar
with the publisher we want our work to impress.
2. Use common sense. Wow! Now that's an unusual concept. Figures
are easier to follow in statistics, measurements, and paragraphs
filled with numbers. Spelled-out numbers give "texture to
literary passages, including dialogue." However, if spelled-out
numbers become awkward, reverting to figures is a matter of
common sense. For example, 160,00 is easier on the reader than
one hundred sixty-thousand.
3. Leave the finest points to editors. Just be consistent in
your usage.
4. Get a feel for the literary style. Generally, numbers that
can be expressed in one or two words should be spelled out: five
hundred, twenty-six. Many literary publishers put numbers over
100 in figures, but they also have many exceptions.
If in a series of numbers, some need to be in figures, then all
should be in figures: 16,000 reporters, 99 authors, and 16
editors.
When spelled-out numbers are one after the other, the first word
or the longest should be replaced with figures: ten 220-paged
books or two hundred 15-paged copies.
Fractions more or less follow the spelled-out rule unless doing
so would be unwieldy. The author gave two examples in the
article: thirty-three-hundredths complete; a 3 3/4-inch-thick
manuscript.
Exceptions to the literary style include percentages and time,
such as 2 percent, 2.5 percent, 7:30 a.m. (exception to time:
half past five in the evening, a quarter after one, six
o'clock), July 28, 1943 (but July twenty-eighth in dialogue).
5. Know the 10-and-above journalistic rule. Usually 10 and above
are in figures in journalistic items. For millions and above,
though, figures and words are mixed: 10 million; $5 million.
Numbers that begin a sentence (except a year date) are spelled
out. However, for big numbers, sentences should be reworded to
avoid starting with a number.
Don't use and or commas in spelled-out numbers: One
hundred ninety-six couples renewed their vows last year.
6. Heed a few matters of form. The two-word numbers from
twenty-one through ninety-nine are always hyphenated.
Plural figures and spelled-out numbers rarely have an apostrophe
before the s.
Editors will often boil when reading "from 1941-1945," since the
word "to" should be used with "from," or the dates and a hyphen
should be used alone: He lived from 1919 to 1989; he lived
1919-1989. Therefore, a following a few guidelines will make an
article, essay, or story more professional, appealing to readers
and editors alike.
Sources: 1. Arthur Plotnik, August 2005 issue of The
Writer
2. Writer's Companion, Prentice Hall.
3. Notes and lesson plans from Vivian Zabel