7 tricky rules for writing numbers with numbers

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Everything would be too simple if people did not come up with letter extensions and the rules for their use.

Letter extensions are letters that we write after numbers to convey the endings of numbers: "2020", "20th", "43rd". Lifehacker has collected the basic rules for using extensions, which are constantly violated.

1. Letter extensions are used only with ordinal numbers

Letter extensions are needed in order to distinguish between quantitative and ordinal numbers: "2 people" are "two people", and "2nd person" is a "second person".

Ordinal numbers answer the question "Which one?": "First", "tenth". Cardinal numbers answer the question "How much?": "Two", "five". No matter how inclined the cardinal numbers are, they do not need letter extensions:

• made in 2 (two) ways;
• more than 4 (four) sides;
• 11 (eleven) people;
• in 23 (twenty three) cities.

It looks somewhat strange, so it is customary to write numbers up to ten in words in indirect cases.

To designate ordinal numbers, accretions are used:

• 1st class;
• 2nd place;
• from the 25th house;
• early 90s.

But this rule does not apply to all cases.

2. When recording calendar numbers, increments are usually not used

Also, they are not added when writing the year, if there is the word "year" or "year":

• September 1, 1995.
• Feb 2020
• in 2010 year.

But at the same time, increases are needed if the words "year" or abbreviations "g." No:

• I graduated from the university in 2010.
• 2020 was tough.

3. Extensions are not used with Roman numerals

It is unlikely that you will begin to use Roman numerals to indicate a cardinal number, so there is no need for an increase:

• Nicholas II;
• XX century;
• 1st place;
• IV International Conference “There is Time”.

4. Increments in the numbers of volumes, chapters, pages depend on the position of the generic word

Extensions are not used in the numbers of volumes, chapters, pages and the like if the generic word precedes the numeral:

• volume 3;
• page 185.

If the generic concept comes after the numeral, the increase is needed:

• in the 3rd volume;
• on page 185.

5. Letter extensions are written with a hyphen, and not merged

You can't just take and stick letters to numbers - you need a separator. A space in this capacity is not suitable because it separates different words from each other. And we just want to write the ending, so we use a hyphen:

• 5th desk;
• by the 8th.

6. The number of letters in the build-up depends on the number

If the penultimate letter is a vowel, then the extension consists of one letter. If the penultimate letter is a consonant - of two:

• 5th (fri NSj) times;
• 20th (twenty ai) series;
• in the 1st (first Om) row;
• 8th (eighth Go) class;
• by the 10th (tenth my) home.

Extension of three or more letters is an error. And why so much?

7. Do you need to build up several numbers - depends on their number

If two numbers follow in a row, then the increments are used with each. If three or more - only the last one:

• 5th and 6th grades;
• 70s, 80s;
• 2nd, 3rd and 4th platforms;
• 17th, 18th, 19th century.