Numbers B
A hundred, a thousand etc are less formal than one hundred etc.
- He let us have the bikes for a hundred pounds.
- I’m hoping to get a thousand pounds for the car.
- His monthly salary should be around a thousand euros.
NB We use ‘a hundred, a thousand etc much more often than one hundred, one thousand etc.
We use one hundred etc when we want or need to be precise:
- The painting sold for one thousand dollars ($1,000).
- My monthly salary is one thousand, two hundred euros (1,200€).
- The property is on the market for one million pounds. (£1,000,000)
We use one, not a just before another number or inside a larger number:
- The biscuits cost one pound sixty (£1.60).
- The caravan sold for one thousand, six hundred and fifty pounds (£1,650).
Exercise B Please write out just the figures in words:
1 $1.20.
2 She drove about 100 miles to get here.
3 The number of pupils on the school roll is just over 1,000.
4 The price ticket on the car says £1,835 plus VAT.
5 1.75€.
6 (On a cheque) To British Gas Pay £1,000 pounds only.
7 5,194.