Category_MWW Blog>Numbers

"A" Hundred" versus "One" Hundred

When the words are "a" hundred or "a" thousand, there is a problem for the person who wishes to keep it as close to verbatim as possible. Technically, "a hundred" and "a thousand" are not numbers a...
Category_MWW Blog>Numbers

Thousands

Numbers in the thousands are expressed in figures with a comma and can never be a combination of figures and words. ...sent 45,000... ...received 133,000 of them... ...offered 50,000 for it... Wh...
Category_MWW Blog>Numbers

Fractions (Again)

Though common fractions that stand alone are written out, if the fraction is an unusual one -- 37/132, 1/82 -- use figures. Though said with the ordinal added, the transcribed form does not include...
Category_MWW Blog>Numbers

Words in the Middle of the Year

When a year is interrupted by a word or two, the English rule says to write out the number in words. That is always the fallback position. However, as always in reporting, numbers written in words ...
Category_MWW Blog>Numbers

Sequential References

A sequential reference is a number that is part of a series of numbers, which usually follows the word that designates what the number is referring to. We consider a number to be "sequential" when ...
Category_MWW Blog>Numbers

What If They Say "212"?

This question has popped up in seminars over the last several months. My answer is to put it into the transcript as "2012." I know. You are yelling, "But that is not verbatim!" First of all, we ar...
Category_MWW Blog>Numbers

"A Million" or "One Million" and Others

There is a recurring question about these kinds of numbers. What if it is "...sent a hundred dollars to him" or "...paid ten and a half" or "...a little over a million"? The answer is that these ar...
Category_MWW Blog>Numbers

Ordinal Numbers in a Date

All dates are transcribed in figures. When the ordinal is added to a date when said -- ...on May 5th... -- it is not good grammar. It is not correct to say the month and date and add the ordinal t...
Category_MWW Blog>Numbers

Fractions

The "everyday" fractions -- two thirds, three fourths, seven eighths -- are written out when they stand alone. They are hyphenated only when they are direct adjectives. ...had an increase of three...