2 or two?

Question

I am not sure on the rule when it comes to writing numbers. When do I write it as a number i.e. 2 and when do i write it as a word i.e. two?

The sentence I am constructing is 'the poem contains 4/four stanzas' and 'the second stanza contains 7/seven lines whereas the rest contain 6/six'

Also, is there a difference when we are writing single and double figure numbers? 14 or fourteen?

Thank you

xx

HUBLOT · Accepted Answer

Hello toaster,

http://www.grammarbook.com/numbers/numbers.asp

http://homeworktips.about.com/od/essaywriting/a/numbers.htm

http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/grammar/numbers.html

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/593/01/

http://www.ehow.com/facts_4830931_proper-way-spell-out-numbers.html

http://karenreiser.suite101.com/numerals-or-words-a21944

http://www.docstyles.com/apacrib.htm#Sec41

I hope these show the rules you've been looking for.

Toaster · Answer

thank you this helps a lot!  it does say different on each site lol but i have decided to go with the first site <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/2.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/2.gif' alt='Emotion: big smile'/>

Zeffern · Answer

Well comming from Wales makes me think your probably more qualified to answer this question then I am. I mean your right next to where the english language was invented so you could just hop over the fence and ask a neighbor.

But your asking the question so I guess you really don't know for certain. I will give you my two cents worth (Pun Intended). And before you put much credence in my answer I will warn you that I barely passed english in high school so I'm just winging it.

I think that if your writing a nice formal letter you would use two. As numbers kind of stick out in a letter full of words.

If I was writing a letter that had a bunch of numbers in it I would probably just use the number 2.

As for 14 and 37 and all those other beautiful numbers that we all love to use I would go with this same rule.

P.S. I like that little catch phrase you have for your tag line it is a very nice, true and powerful statment you make.

Zeffern

2 or two?

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