Writing and Saying Large Numbers, by Dennis Oliver

Writing and Saying
Large Numbers (#1)

We don't normally write numbers with words, but it's possible to do this--and of course this will show how we say the numbers. In writing large numbers, American English uses a comma ( , ) to separate thousands, millions, etc. American English also uses a hyphen ( - ) to separate "tens" words (twenty, fifty, etc.) and "ones" words (one, three, six, etc.) Examples: Group 1 written   said 1,011   one thousand eleven       21,011   twenty-one thousand eleven       721,011   seven hundred twenty-one thousand eleven Group 2 written   said 1,256,721   one million two hundred fifty-six thousand seven hundred twenty-one       31,256,721   thirty-one million two hundred fifty-six thousand seven hundred twenty-one       631,256,721   six hundred thirty-one million two hundred fifty-six thousand seven hundred twenty-one Group 3 written   said 1,492,638,526   one billion four hundred ninety-two million six hundred thirty-eight thousand five hundred twenty-six       41,492,638,526   forty-one billion four hundred ninety-two million six hundred thirty-eight thousand five hundred twenty-six       941,492,638,526   nine hundred forty-one billion four hundred ninety-two million six hundred thirty-eight thousand five hundred twenty-six __________________________________________________ Special Notes: 1.   In American English, the order of large numbers is thousand, million, billion, trillion, etc. (1,000; 1,000,000; 1,000,000,000; 1,000,000,000,000; etc.) In American English a thousand million is a billion, but in British English, a thousand million is a milliard.       2.   When saying large numbers, do not make thousand, million, billion, trillion, etc. plural. Not this: *twenty thousands dollars; *five millions people But this:twenty thousand dollars; five million people       3.   In American English, use commas to separate thousands, millions, etc. Not this: *21.011 *31.256.721 *941.492.638.526 But this: 21,011 31,256,721 941,492,638,526       4.   People often say "a" instead of "one" before hundred, thousand, etc. and they often add "and" before the last number: a hundred and twenty-one a thousand and eleven / etc.