Starting Sentences with Numbers
Starting Sentences with Numbers
Try to avoid starting a sentence with a number written in figures.- 71 people were rescued from the sinking ferry by the Latvian helicopter crew.
- The Latvian helicopter crew rescued 71 people from the sinking ferry.
- Seventy-one people were rescued from the sinking ferry by the Latvian helicopter crew.


Do Not Expand Numbers with Decimal Places
If your number contains a decimal point, try harder to reword your sentence.- 41.67% of people add decimal places to make their statistics look more credible.
- Precisely 41.67% of people add decimal places to make their statistics look more credible.
- To make their statistics look more credible, 41.67% of people add decimal places.
- Forty-one point sixty-seven per cent of people add decimal places to make their statistics look more credible.
Do Not Expand Numbers with Units of Measurement
If your number precedes a unit of measurement (e.g., 12 m), try harder to reword your sentence.- 1 mm was enough to cause an engine failure.
- Just 1mm was enough to cause an engine failure.
- The engine failure was caused by a 1-mm error.
More Leniency with Years
Writers tend to be more comfortable with starting a sentence with a year. If you don't feel this way, simple add the phrase "The year" or reword.- 1984 was a good example. (This has not been marked wrong as most writers wouldn't consider this as untidy.)
- The year 1984 was a good example.
- A good example was 1984.
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?