: Re: Expressing large numbers in dialogue? For example the scene takes place in the future and the year is 24,356. Would it be written as: "The year is 24356," said Bob OR "The year is

@Debbie451

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Digits tend to be read faster and are less important. Spelling out numbers takes longer to read and are emphasized. So there are two things to consider:

1) How do people think of dates? Do you think of this year as "twenty seventeen" or "two thousand seventeen"? Was Bill Clinton president in the "nineteen-nineties" or the "one thousand nine hundred nineties"? Use the intuitive phrasing.

2) How much emphasis do you need to put on the date? If they're jumping forward a few hundred years, then you can use digits, because it's close enough to be relatable:

"The date appears to be late April 2432," she said.

If they've advanced several thousand years, then spelling it out will underscore just how far ahead they are:

She looked at her screen in astonishment. "According to these readings, it's approximately the year twenty-four thousand, three hundred fifty-six."

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