How To Write Numbers In English
The figure zero is usually called nought in British English and zero in American English. When we say numbers one figure at a time, 0 is often called oh (like the letter O).
My account number is two four oh one four three seven. (= 2401437)
In measurements of temperature zero is called zero in both British and American English. Zero is followed by a plural noun.
Zero degrees Celsius is thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit.
Zero scores in team games like football or rugby are called nil. In tennis and similar games, the word love is used to mean zero.
And the score at half time is: Brazil two, Italy nil.
Forty-love; Roger to serve.
Telephone numbers
We say each figure separately. When the same figure comes twice, British people usually say double.
Two four oh, double one three seven (=2401137)
Two four zero, one one three seven (US)
Roman numbers
Roman numbers are becoming less common in modern English. They are, however, still used in a few cases – for example the names of kings and queens, page numbers in the introductions to some books, and occasionally the names of centuries.
It was built in the time of Henry V.
For details, see page vii.
The Roman numbers normally used are as follows:
1 I i
2 II ii
3 III iii
4 IV iv
5 V v
6 VI vi
7 VII vii
8 VIII viii
9 IX ix
10 X x
11 XI xi
12 XII xii
13 XIII xiii
14 XIV xiv
19 XIX xix
20 XX xx
21 XX1 xxi
30 XXX xxx
40 XL xl
50 L l
60 LX lx
90 XC xc
100 C c
500 D
1000 M
Numbers: differences between American and British usage
British money
Three are 100 pence in a pound. Sums of money are named as follows:
1 p one penny or a penny
5 p five pence
American money
There are 100 cents in a dollar. Sums of money are named very much as in British English. Some coins have special names. One-cent coins are called pennies; five-cent coins are called nickels; ten-cent coins are dimes; a twenty-five cent coin is a quarter.
Floors
The ground floor of a British house is the first floor of an American house; the British first floor is the American second floor.
Billion
In American English, a billion is a thousand million. This is now generally true in British English, but a British billion used to be a million million.
