Comments on: 10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:29:22 +0000 hourly 1 By: Nicole http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/comment-page-4/#comment-395894 Nicole Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:33:32 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/#comment-395894 There sure are a lot of critical people on here, everyone wants to one up the article writer. Of course, with the vast internet you have to question everything, but I think some of these people really are trying hard to think of ways to discredit the article. QUIT IT, YOUR ARENT GOING TO GET CREDIT FOR FINDING THE FLAW IN THIS ONE ARTICLE. NOBODY CARES. I can understand if the post is to get help with a question you have, but to post about every flaw you can find to show off- on the internet- really? These are basic rules people to help people with basic questions about writing numbers and numerals!! Thanks for the article, it answered my quick question. There sure are a lot of critical people on here, everyone wants to one up the article writer.
Of course, with the vast internet you have to question everything, but I think some of these people really are trying hard to think of ways to discredit the article.
QUIT IT, YOUR ARENT GOING TO GET CREDIT FOR FINDING THE FLAW IN THIS ONE ARTICLE. NOBODY CARES.
I can understand if the post is to get help with a question you have, but to post about every flaw you can find to show off- on the internet- really?
These are basic rules people to help people with basic questions about writing numbers and numerals!!
Thanks for the article, it answered my quick question.

]]> By: David http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/comment-page-4/#comment-395864 David Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:21:26 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/#comment-395864 I'm for clarity and anything that moves the words along. Thus, I'm all for using numbers--all the time. It makes no sense to me to write, "he's coming at seven and will leave at 11." To me it's jarring to read it that way. I want to read 7 and 11. It's consistent to use all numbers and speeds up the understanding of what you're saying. I’m for clarity and anything that moves the words along. Thus, I’m all for using numbers–all the time. It makes no sense to me to write, “he’s coming at seven and will leave at 11.” To me it’s jarring to read it that way. I want to read 7 and 11. It’s consistent to use all numbers and speeds up the understanding of what you’re saying.

]]> By: Oz Verbivore http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/comment-page-4/#comment-395753 Oz Verbivore Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:32:22 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/#comment-395753 These items are not a matter of correct / incorrect; they are matters of style (often nationally based): percent, etcetera = US English style per cent, et cetera = British English style one hundred three = US one hundred and three = B. ________________ Sonny: We celebrated our ninth birthday party together. We celebrated our ninth birthday partys [sic: should be parties] together. Neither! One celebrates a birthday, not a party; hence "We celebrated our ninth birthdays together". Something I see a lot (NOT alot!) lately is “... celebrated our third year anniversary”. That is a tautology: “year” and the “anni” of “anniversary” mean the same. One celebrates one’s third year OR one’s third anniversary. ________________ Peter: “A.m. and p.m. already have periods (full stops, in proper English [...])” “Period” was what the sentence-ending point used to be called in England; this usage sailed off to the Americas and became ossified there. The English moved on and replaced the term with “full stop”. Neither is wrong nor right; they are matters of (national) style, that’s all. ________________ Merry: “between 25 – 30 years of age” The dash (here correctly an en rule) implies the “between”, so it’s either “between 25 and 30 [...]” or just “25–30 [...]”. Note: No spaces should surround an en rule (dash) in a number range. ________________ Adam: “irregardless” – There is no such word; it is simply “regardless”. These items are not a matter of correct / incorrect; they are matters of style (often nationally based):

percent, etcetera = US English style
per cent, et cetera = British English style

one hundred three = US
one hundred and three = B.
________________

Sonny:
We celebrated our ninth birthday party together.
We celebrated our ninth birthday partys [sic: should be parties] together.

Neither! One celebrates a birthday, not a party; hence “We celebrated our ninth birthdays together”.

Something I see a lot (NOT alot!) lately is “… celebrated our third year anniversary”. That is a tautology: “year” and the “anni” of “anniversary” mean the same. One celebrates one’s third year OR one’s third anniversary.
________________

Peter:
“A.m. and p.m. already have periods (full stops, in proper English [...])”
“Period” was what the sentence-ending point used to be called in England; this usage sailed off to the Americas and became ossified there. The English moved on and replaced the term with “full stop”. Neither is wrong nor right; they are matters of (national) style, that’s all.
________________

Merry:
“between 25 – 30 years of age”
The dash (here correctly an en rule) implies the “between”, so it’s either “between 25 and 30 [...]” or just “25–30 [...]”. Note: No spaces should surround an en rule (dash) in a number range.
________________

Adam:
“irregardless” – There is no such word; it is simply “regardless”.

]]> By: Susan http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/comment-page-4/#comment-395155 Susan Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:14:07 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/#comment-395155 Do I type "a" or "an" before the number 120? Do I type “a” or “an” before the number 120?

]]> By: Jan Smith http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/comment-page-4/#comment-395001 Jan Smith Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:49:39 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/#comment-395001 Instructions say to type all numbers as digits. The text reads, "we sold a lot in the fourth quarter. Fourth is an ordinal number, so would you change the text to 4th quarter? Instructions say to type all numbers as digits. The text reads, “we sold a lot in the fourth quarter. Fourth is an ordinal number, so would you change the text to 4th quarter?

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