Grammar Mini Lessons - Writing Numbers and Their, There, They're

9/28/16 Mini Lessons

MINI LESSON

Spell out small numbers.  

Don't use numeric characters.

When writing for a business or publication – not to mention an English or college class – student often make a common mistake of typing the numeric characters for numbers instead of actually spelling them out.

For example, “I read the story of the 3 little pigs.”

This is not correct form for the context for formal writing in a class. 

Instead one should write:  “I read the story of the three little pigs.”

The exception to this is when you write dates like 1942, or December 21^st, 1967, or address like 1300 Derby Road.  

Another exception to the rule is times.  For example, this was written at 12:17 PM.

Bigger numbers may use numeric characters, such as over 2,525,116 students read this log last year.  

But for smaller numbers, you would almost always spell them out.

MINI LESSON 

There / they’re / their

Examples:

<location>

I put the remote control for the television over there. 

<contraction of “they are”>

They’re going to the movies together.  

<possession of something>

The crazy, predatory, cannibalistic squirrels like to hide their victims inside of nutshells.