Use Arabic numerals for all numbers. Also use Arabic numerals:
- With units of measure (e.g., “7 miles”)
- For ages (e.g., “age 12 and older”)
- For percentages (e.g., “15 percent”)
In general, avoid using Roman numerals.
Ages
When you’re talking about how old someone is, use “age” (instead of “aged” or the “age of” or “years”).
| Do: |
|---|
| All children age 7 and older can join this program. |
When talking about an age range, use “ages” and indicate the range with “to” instead of a hyphen.
| Do: |
|---|
| This seminar is for adults ages 55 to 65. |
Time and date
Always use Arabic numerals for dates.
| Do: | Don’t: | Don’t: |
|---|---|---|
| The meeting is on April 5, 2021. | Join us on August 21st. | We’ll see you on 8/20/21. |
When stating time:
- Use “a.m.” and “p.m.” in lowercase
- Drop :00 when listing times on the hour (8 a.m., not 8:00 a.m.)
- Use “to” between ranges of time instead of a hyphen
| Do: | Don’t: |
|---|---|
| We’ll hold the session from 10 to 11 a.m. | Drop-by hours are 10:00 — 11:00 A.M. |
Phone numbers
Use hyphens in phone numbers instead of periods or parentheses.
| Do: | Don’t: | Don’t: |
|---|---|---|
| Call us at 860-500-4412. | Call us at (860) 500-4412. | Call us at 860.500.4412. |
List extensions consistently.
| Do: |
|---|
| Call us at 860-500-4412, ext. 707 |
When referring to both local and toll-free numbers, put the local number first followed by the toll-free number in parentheses.
| Do: |
|---|
| Call us at 860-500-4450 (or 800-282-6063 toll-free outside Connecticut). |
In general, we prefer the verb “call” when providing phone numbers (instead of old-fashioned alternatives like “dial,” which is a leftover from the age of rotary phones). But there’s one important exception. We follow the style of 2-1-1 of Connecticut and always use “dial” when referring to 2-1-1.
| Do: |
|---|
| Dial 2-1-1 to learn about your options. |