How to Write out Numbers
Writing numbers is a daily exercise in living, whether it is writing a check or writing a paper. There are grammar rules for using numbers in writing papers, and there are simple techniques for writing out large numbers for a checkbook or for other situations.
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Instructions
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Learn the basic grammar rules for writing numbers. This will help you in writing and give you an understanding for writing large numbers. All single-digit numbers are written out. The number 9 becomes nine, but the number 10 stays as 10. All numbers that begin a sentence are written out. "Fifteen men stopped the fire." Fractions are spelled out in writing. "One-half of the people stayed." Compound numbers are hyphenated. Twenty-two people went to the game.
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Say the number out loud, paying attention to the placement of each numeral. The number 824 would be pronounced "eight hundred and twenty four." The 8 is in the 100 place, the 2 is in the 10 place, and the 4 is in the 1 place. Try a larger number. The number 9,436 would be pronounced "nine thousand four hundred and thirty six." The 9 is in the 1000 place, the 4 is in the 100 place, the 3 is in the 10 place and the 6 is in the one place.
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Practice writing a 100 placement number. Once you can say the number placement, you can write the number placement. The number 824 is pronounced "eight hundred and twenty four." Now you can write the number as you say it, or "eight hundred and twenty-four." Notice that a hyphen was added between the twenty and the four. Go back to the grammar rules for numbers. Always put a hyphen between compound numbers.
But what about the number 815? It has a 100 placement and a 10 placement and a 1 placement, doesn't it? The numbers 10 to 19 are written out as ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen and nineteen. The number 815 is pronounced eight hundred and fifteen. It is written as eight hundred and fifteen.
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Practice writing a 1,000 placement number. Begin by saying the number, so 6,354 is pronounced "Six thousand three hundred and thirty four." When you write the number, add a comma after the thousand placement and remember the hyphen. The number written out is "six thousand, three hundred and fifty-four." Notice the comma placement after the thousand? Notice the hyphen for the compound number?
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Review often. Writing large numbers will become easier if you practice saying the numbers out loud.
1. Pronounce the number with the placement position.
2. Write the number as you pronounce the placement.
3. Hyphenate compound numbers.
4. Place a comma after the thousand placement.
5. Numbers 10 to 19 have their own word, as well as 20 twenty, 30 thirty, 40 forty, 50 fifty, 60 sixty, 70 seventy, 80 eighty, 90 ninety.
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Tips & Warnings
In check writing, cents is written as a fraction. $523.32 is written as five hundred and twenty-three and 32/100.
In writing numbers for papers, percentages are written out. So 90% would be 90 percent.
- Photo Credit numbers image by Amer Delibasic from Fotolia.com
