DEALING WITH NUMBERS

English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)

Dealing with Numbers

1. We usually spell out the time when it is followed by o’clock or when a.m. or p.m. is not mentioned.
   We get up at 6 o’clock daily to be on time for school (nonstandard).
   We get up at six o’clock daily to be on time for school (standard).
   She gets home around 8 in the evening (nonstandard).
   She gets home around eight in the evening (standard).
2. Number is used when a.m. and p.m. are mentioned in the time.
   We danced until two a.m. (nonstandard).
   We danced until 2 a.m. (standard).
3. Writing decades can be done in multiple ways as seen in the examples given below:
   She lived with us in the eighties (standard).
   During the 1980s she lived with us (standard).
   She lived with us in ’80s (standard).
   GAB