numbers

  • Spell out numbers less than 10 in most references. Exceptions include ages, speeds, temperatures, rank, ratios, distances, dimensions.
  • If a number starts a sentence, it must be spelled out: Twenty years ago, he could ride a skateboard without breaking any bones. He hasn’t been on a skateboard in 25 years. Exception: years and headlines. 2020 was a difficult year for many. 75 people attend justice march (headline example)
  • Ages: She is a 5-year-old; she is 5 years old. The law is 10 years old. The 2-year-old boy looks like his mother.
  • Centuries: Spell out numbers less than 10: Table manners in the fifth century foreshadowed many of the practices of the 21st century. Fifth-century table manners foreshadowed 21st-century practices.
  • Decades: 1950s or the ’50s. See also years
  • Monetary units: $1 million. A hundred bucks. $100 (no decimal point). 5 cents.
  • No.: Use this abbreviation with a number for position or ranks. No. 1 choice; No. 3 woman.
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