When to spell out numbers





Why do English writers avoid explicit numerals?



Based on my previous question regarding spelling out monetary amounts, is there a rule of thumb when a number should be spelled out?


These examples are easy:



I have two brothers.


It's exactly 823 miles to New York.



But do I have 15 minutes of fame, or fifteen minutes of fame?


Edit: This related question asks how the practice of spelling out numbers originated; I'm looking for specific guidelines.



Answer



It's all about style and consistency. If you're writing for a specific publication or medium, you should adopt its guidelines. The rules tend, however, to follow the broad guidelines below:



  • Small numbers (below twelve) should typically be spelt out.

  • For larger numbers, consider the space available to you and the length of the number when spelt out. If you're restricted in space (journal column, letter, headlines, display text, etc.), use numbers.

  • If the numbers are round or approximate, they're more likely to be spelt out: “the accidental release resulted in the death of two hundreds”, but “at the end of the day, 137 people lost their life in the explosion”.

  • If you are comparing numbers, or describing series of number, spell them out for clarity: “of the 129 units sold in the fourth quarter, 54 were shipped to European countries and 21 were sent to Russia”.


As with anything, the rule ends up being: you are writing to be read, so do what you can to maximise legibility.


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