What If They Say “212”?

Margie Wakeman WellsNumbers Leave a Comment

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 are not verbatim all the time. When “goverment” is said, we put in “government.” For “accidently,” we put in “accidentally.” Second, I think …

“A Million” or “One Million” and Others

Margie Wakeman WellsNumbers Leave a Comment

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 are technically not really numbers — “a million” and “a half” and “a hundred.” And English rules say that these should be written …

“The Years in 2000” Problem

Margie Wakeman WellsNumbers 9 Comments

Good morning, In Fergus Falls, MN, this morning, headed for Bismarck, ND, and then Grand Forks — two groups of fabulous North Dakota reporters. This question came up on my page on Facebook: “More and more since we have entered the year 2000 and beyond, people are starting to shorten the years as they say them. It’s not 2007; it’s …