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
1,011
said
one thousand eleven
21,011
twenty-one thousand eleven
721,011
seven hundred twenty-one
thousand eleven
Group 2
written
1,256,721
said
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
1,492,638,526
said
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
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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.