Centuries, Decades, and Eras
Numbers
Rulebase Summary
Numbers referring to centuries are spelled out (the nineteenth century). When the word 'hundreds' is used instead of 'century,' the number may be spelled out or written as figures (the 1800s or the eighteen hundreds). Numbers referring to decades may likewise be spelled out or written as figures (the nineties, the '90s, the 1990s).
Examples
A. The building dates back to the 19th century.
A. The building dates back to the nineteenth century.
Numbers referring to centuries are spelled out.
A. That style was popular in the nineteen fifties.
A. That style was popular in the 1950s.
Decades may be expressed in figures for clarity, especially when the full four-digit year is used.
Transcript Notes
Numbers referring to centuries are spelled out (the eighteenth century, the seventeenth century, the eighth century). When the word 'hundreds' is used with century references, the number may be spelled out OR written as figures (the late seventeen hundreds OR the late 1700s).
Numbers referring to decades or ages may be spelled out or written as figures (the nineties OR the '90s; the mid-'70s; in her 50s OR fifties). Use the apostrophe to indicate the omitted century in abbreviated decade references.
Style Guide References (3)
Morson's
Morson's
Morson's