Convert any number to words in American or British English. Shows cardinal form, ordinal form (first, second, third…), and currency words for writing cheques/checks and legal documents.
| Position | Digit | Place Value | Value |
|---|
Converting numbers to words is required when writing cheques and checks, drafting legal documents, completing formal contracts, and following academic or journalistic style guides. This free number to words converter handles integers up to thirty digits, converts decimal values to currency form, and produces ordinal numbers (first, second, third…) — all with support for both American and British English.
The standard English number-naming system uses groups of three digits (thousands, millions, billions) read from left to right:
The word "and" is used in British English between hundreds and the remainder (two hundred and forty-five), while in American English it is optional and often omitted in formal writing (two hundred forty-five). Our calculator follows the convention of the selected language variant.
The most important difference between British and American number naming is the historical meaning of "billion." This is a genuine source of confusion in international business and journalism:
| Number | American English | British English (historical) | British English (modern, now standard) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10⁶ | million | million | million |
| 10⁹ | billion | milliard (now obsolete) | billion (same as US) |
| 10¹² | trillion | billion (traditional) | trillion |
| 10¹⁸ | quintillion | trillion (traditional) | quintillion |
In the UK's traditional "long scale" system, a "billion" meant 10¹² (a million squared). In the American "short scale," a billion is 10⁹. The UK officially adopted the short scale in 1974 when Prime Minister Harold Wilson's government confirmed that "billion" in official UK government usage means 10⁹. Today, the short scale is standard throughout the UK for business, finance, media, and official government use.
However, many older British texts (and some formal documents) still use the long scale implicitly. Our converter uses the modern short scale for both US and UK variants — which is now the correct convention in both countries.
Both UK cheques and US checks require the amount to be written in words. This practice protects against fraud — it is much harder to alter handwritten words than to change a numerical figure.
In the UK, write the amount in words starting with a capital letter, using "and" between hundreds and the remainder. For example: £1,234.56 is written as "One thousand, two hundred and thirty-four pounds and fifty-six pence." Draw a line after the words to prevent addition of more text. UK banks still accept cheques, though usage has declined substantially since the 2010s.
In the US, write the dollar amount in words: "One thousand two hundred thirty-four and 56/100 dollars" (the cents are typically written as a fraction over 100). The word "and" separates the dollars from the cents fraction. US checks remain in common use for rent, taxes, and business payments.
Legal documents — contracts, wills, deeds, affidavits — require numbers to be spelled out in full, often alongside the numeral in parentheses: "the sum of five thousand pounds (£5,000)." This double-entry format protects against disputes over which number was intended.
Court judgements, property deeds, and loan agreements in both the US and UK follow this convention. Tax authorities in both countries may also require written-out figures in certain declaration forms.
Ordinal numbers express position or order: first, second, third, fourth, fifth… twentieth, twenty-first… Ordinals are used in dates (the 1st of January, April 4th), rankings (3rd place, 5th floor), and academic writing (the 21st century).
The irregular ordinals are: 1st (first), 2nd (second), 3rd (third). From 4th onward, most ordinals are formed by adding "-th." Exceptions: 5th (fifth), 8th (eighth), 9th (ninth), 12th (twelfth), 20th (twentieth), 30th (thirtieth).
Different style guides give different rules, but the common conventions are:
The English number system is based on powers of 10, with names assigned to groups of three digits (periods):
| Group | Value |
|---|---|
| Units | 1 – 999 |
| Thousands | 1,000 – 999,999 |
| Millions | 1,000,000 – 999,999,999 |
| Billions | 10⁹ – 10¹²−1 |
| Trillions | 10¹² – 10¹⁵−1 |
| Quadrillions | 10¹⁵ – 10¹⁸−1 |
| Quintillions | 10¹⁸ – 10²¹−1 |
| Sextillions | 10²¹ – 10²⁴−1 |
| Septillions | 10²⁴ – 10²⁷−1 |
| Octillions | 10²⁷ – 10³⁰−1 |
| Nonillions | 10³⁰ – 10³³−1 |
Numbers must be written in words on cheques/checks to prevent fraud (it's harder to alter words than digits), in legal documents to prevent disputes, and in formal writing following style guides (APA, MLA, Chicago, UK journalistic).
Historically yes: US billion = 10⁹ (1,000,000,000) while UK traditional billion = 10¹² (1,000,000,000,000). However, the UK officially adopted the short scale (US system) in 1974. Today, billion means 10⁹ in both countries. Our converter uses this modern standard for both variants.
Write the amount in words with a capital first letter: "One thousand, two hundred and thirty-four pounds and fifty-six pence." Draw a line after to prevent additions. The word "and" connects hundreds to the remainder and separates pounds from pence.
Write: "One thousand two hundred thirty-four and 56/100 dollars." Cents are written as a fraction over 100. Draw a line after. "And" separates the dollar amount from the cents fraction.
Ordinal numbers express position: first (1st), second (2nd), third (3rd), fourth (4th)…twentieth (20th), twenty-first (21st). They are used in dates, rankings, and academic writing.
APA: spell out below 10, numerals for 10+. Chicago: spell out one through one hundred. UK journalism: spell out one through nine, numerals from 10. Legal: always spell out and include numeral in brackets.
Our converter handles integers up to 30 digits (up to nonillions, 10³⁰). Beyond that the number is too large for standard English naming conventions that are in common use.
Precede the word form with "negative" or "minus": −45 is "negative forty-five" (US) or "minus forty-five" (UK). In financial contexts, negative amounts may also be written in parentheses: (forty-five) or in red.
Results are for educational and convenience purposes. Always verify legal and financial documents with a qualified professional. Banking institutions may have specific formatting requirements for cheques/checks.