How to write numbers in words: rules, hyphens and checks
Writing a number out in words follows a few simple rules that are easy to get wrong: where the hyphens go, whether to say "and", and how to write cents on a check. Here are the rules with examples.
Use hyphens from twenty-one to ninety-nine
Two-word numbers between 21 and 99 are joined with a hyphen. Larger numbers are written as separate words, keeping the hyphen only inside the tens and units part.
21 twenty-one
45 forty-five
250 two hundred fifty
1,984 one thousand nine hundred eighty-four
12,750 twelve thousand seven hundred fifty
2,500,000 two million five hundred thousandHundred, thousand and million never take an s
When a number comes before them, these words stay singular: two hundred, five thousand, three million. The plural is only used for vague amounts without a number, as in "hundreds of people".
Should I write "and"?
In British English "and" usually goes after hundred: one hundred and five, two thousand and twenty. In American English it is often left out in writing: one hundred five. Both are correct, so pick one style and keep it consistent within a document.
How to write decimals
The decimal point is read as "point" and each digit after it is read separately.
3.14 three point one four
0.5 zero point five (or nought point five in the UK)
2.05 two point zero fiveHow to write an amount on a check
On a check the dollar amount is written in words and the cents are written as a fraction of 100. A line is drawn after the amount so nothing can be added.
$1,250.50 One thousand two hundred fifty and 50/100 dollars
$75.00 Seventy-five and 00/100 dollars
$1,005.09 One thousand five and 09/100 dollarsHere "and" separates the dollars from the cents, which is why it is usually not used after hundred on checks.
Words or figures in a text?
- Many style guides spell out numbers from one to nine (or one to one hundred) and use figures for larger ones.
- Dates, times, money, measurements and percentages are usually written in figures: 3 kg, 20%, 9:30.
- A number at the start of a sentence is written in words, or the sentence is rephrased.
- Legal and financial documents often give the amount in both figures and words.
Convert a number instantly
Type a number into the number to words converter to get it spelled out, or use the amount in words tool for dollars and cents. Your numbers never leave your browser.