In some contexts it is appropriate to render numbers as figures, while in others it is better to write out numbers in full. One widely held convention recommends writing numerals out in full from zero to nine (or ten) and thereafter rendering them as figures. Variants of this rule advise writing out all numbers below 20 or alternatively 100 in full.In mathematical, technical, or statistical documents, it is probably best to render all numbers as figures, but in more imaginative writing such as a story or poem it is probably best to write all numbers out in full. Where you choose to combine smaller numbers written out in full and larger numbers written as numerals it may be best to avoid having both forms in the same sentence and, if they are close to each other, rendering both numbers in the same form (earn between two and twenty dollars a day; a margin of error ranging from 5 to 55 percent). Note that the same choice between numerals and letters exists in relation to the expression of fractions, which may be variously rendered according to the context in which they appear (one-quarter; three-quarters; 7/8).Cardinal and Ordinal NumbersNumerals can be divided into cardinal numbers (one, two, three, four, five, etc.) and ordinal numbers (first, second, third, fourth, fifth, etc.). Most ordinal numbers are formed by adding the suffix -th to the cardinal number concerned (sixth; sixty-seventh; two hundredth). The exceptions are first, second, and third. Note that in certain cases the final -e of the cardinal number is dropped and the last letter may change to form the equivalent ordinal number (fifth; eighth; ninth; twelfth; twentieth).Large NumbersLarge numbers are often rendered as numerals with commas dividing them into groups of three digits. These delineate thousands, millions, or other large amounts (1,000, 10,000, 100,000, 1,000,000). The use of commas in numbers of four figures or more is preferable, although many choose to do without them. Note that commas are never used in relation to yearly dates (in the year 1459), unless the year referred to has more than four digits (50,000 B.C.).In the case of unfeasibly large numbers or numbers with many zeros, the convention in mathematical and technical contexts is to express the magnitude of a number in the form of a superscript numeral (109 = billion, 1012 = trillion, etc.) after the first figure, or in less technical documents to make use of such vocabulary words as million, billion, and trillion. Note, however, that there is scope for confusion in what these words represent in terms of figures, as they are sometimes defined differently in France, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom.| Term in United States | Numeral |
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| million | 1,000,000 | | billion | 1,000,000,000 | | trillion | 1,000,000,000,000 |
When discussing such large figures, it is conventional to omit the final -s in the plural form (two million, six billion, three trillion).DatesDates can be rendered in various different ways, some written out more fully than others. The most succinct way to render a date of the year is to reduce it to purely numerical form in the order: month of the year, day of the month, and year (as in 1/31/05 or 1.31.05). A less concise form, possibly less abrupt in character and thus more suitable for informal use, is to combine words and figures in the style of January 31, 2005. In imaginative writing it is usual to write out dates in full (the twenty-second of August).Years are usually rendered as figures and are rarely written out in full. In informal circumstances they may, however, be abbreviated to just two numbers in the belief that it is unnecessary to be more specific (back in '98; the '39–'45 war). Decades and centuries are commonly rendered in abbreviated form using a combination of words and figures. Examples of alternative styles for decades include the 1800s and the 1970s, as well as the fully written version (the seventeen-forties; the nineties). Note that there is no need to place an apostrophe before the s. Examples of the style for centuries, apart from the fully written style (the twenty-first century) include 21st century or 21 c.Years (and centuries) prior to the birth of Christ are labeled before Christ, abbreviated to B.C. Years after the birth of Christ are labeled anno domini (meaning "year of our Lord"), abbreviated to A.D. Note that B.C. and A.D. are often rendered in small capitals in printed texts. By convention B.C. comes after the date, while A.D. goes before the date (320 B.C.; A.D. 781). This last rule does not apply, however, in all circumstances, as for instance in built in the ninth century A.D. Note that there is an alternative dating system for years that avoids reference to the life of Christ, in which the initials B.C.E. (before common era) and C.E. (common era) follow the year. B.C.E. corresponds to B.C., while C.E. is the equivalent of A.D.In expressing a range of dates, as for instance in a person's birth and death dates, the usual convention is to render them separated by a dash (1604–76). Note that in such cases there is no need to preface the figures with any introductory words such as from, to, or between. The same rule applies to figures in other kinds of number ranges (repeat 20–30 times, pages 73–78, 300–400 years ago). Where a range links numbers that begin with the same first digit, you can sometimes omit the first digit (or preceding digits) in the case of the second number (50–5; 160–2), but this depends largely on your personal preference or the demands of a particular house style. On occasion, this style can cause confusion.TimeIt is possible to express the time in either words or figures, the choice depending largely on the context (1:30; half-past one). It is the convention to indicate times between midnight and noon by adding A.M., the abbreviated form of ante meridiem, and the times between noon and midnight by adding P.M., the abbreviated form of post meridiem. Note that A.M. and P.M. are often rendered lower case (a.m., p.m.) and sometimes without periods (am, pm). Care should be taken to avoid such phrases as shortly after 11:30 P.M. at night, which are tautological.
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