: Re: If I'm writing in US English, am I not allowed to use the metric system? For example, can I say this if my book is written in US English (in non-dialog): The car was going at least

@Miguel976

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Several good answers, but one additional consideration: also consider who you’re writing for. Many Americans have only used metric in science classes, and many other people from other countries won’t be familiar with US customary units at all. (Although most would not be native speakers of English.) You want to be true to your characters’ voices, but also to be understood. The viewpoint character thinks in one system or the other because she knows intuitively how fast that is, and if that doesn’t get across, it’s as much a problem as if she’s thinking in the wrong units. If the reader has to put the book down to look up what 140 kph is in mph, they’ve been jolted out of the story.

Some writers are more willing to expect their readers to know this kind of thing than others. Consider it another good reason to describe how fast they’re going, not just give a number.

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