How to write a number in words
- Type the number into Number. Commas and spaces are ignored, and you can use a decimal point or e-notation like 2.5e6.
- Pick US or UK style, and the currency you want on the cheque line.
- Read the number in words, then click any line below it, such as the ordinal or the cheque wording, to copy it.
Writing an amount on a cheque
The amount in words and the amount in figures should match exactly. A few habits make a cheque harder to alter:
- Start the words at the far left of the line, so nothing can be squeezed in front.
- Write cents or pence as a fraction, like “and 56/100”, or “and 00/100” for a round amount.
- Draw a line through any space left after the words.
- Capitalise the first word and leave no gaps between words.
If you make a mistake, write a new cheque rather than correcting the old one.
Hyphens and the word “and”
Numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine take a hyphen when the second part isn’t zero: forty-two, seventy-six. Hundreds, thousands and larger units don’t: three hundred, five thousand, two million four hundred.
British English puts “and” after the hundreds, so 105 is “one hundred and five” and 1,005 is “one thousand and five”. American English usually leaves it out, “one hundred five”, and keeps “and” for the point between dollars and cents, as in “one hundred five and 50/100” on a cheque. Both styles are correct where they’re used.