How to use the check amount in words writer
- Type the amount in figures. A currency sign and commas are fine, and up to two decimal places are read.
- Choose the country wording: United States, Canada, United Kingdom or Australia.
- Choose whether the cents or pence are written as a fraction such as 25/100 or in words, and whether to add the word only at the end.
- Copy the line from the result, and read the other style underneath it if you want to compare.
Formula
whole part in words, then the currency name
minor part as NN/100 or in words with the minor currency name
United Kingdom and Australia: "and" after hundreds and before a final tens and units part
The United States and Canada write the whole part without and, as in one thousand two hundred fifty. The United Kingdom and Australia write one thousand two hundred and fifty. Singular forms are used for one dollar, one pound, one cent and one penny.
1,250.25 in four countries
In the United States the amount line reads One thousand two hundred fifty and 25/100 dollars, or in words One thousand two hundred fifty dollars and twenty-five cents. Canada uses the same wording.
In the United Kingdom the words style reads One thousand two hundred and fifty pounds and twenty-five pence, and with only turned on it ends with the word only. In Australia, 1,005.01 reads One thousand and five dollars and one cent only, because the final part is under 100 and follows a larger part.
Why the words matter
The amount in words is a second statement of the amount, and it is checked against the figures. Writing it in full, starting at the left edge, and drawing a line through any unused space makes it harder for an amount to be changed after it is written. The word only after the amount, which is common in British and Australian writing, serves the same purpose.
Your bank’s instructions come first. Banks have their own rules for what happens when the words and the figures do not agree, so make them agree.
How the page checks itself
The wording was tested against a separate speller on 328 amounts in every country and style, and by reading each result back into a number for 1,000 random amounts. The numbers agreed every time, including the special cases of a million and one, one thousand and fifty, and one hundred and one.
For any number, not only money, use the Number to Words Converter. To put the same amount on a bill see the Invoice Generator.
Assumptions and limits
- Amounts run from 0.01 to 999,999,999,999.99 with at most two decimal places. Zero and negative amounts are refused.
- Numbers use the short scale: thousand, million, billion.
- The wording follows common habit in each country and is not a rule from any bank. French Canadian and other languages are not covered.
- The page prints no security features and makes no claims about them.
- Nothing typed here leaves your browser.
Frequently asked questions
Should I write the cents as a fraction or in words?
Both are used. A fraction such as 25/100 is common in the United States and Canada, while words are common in the United Kingdom and Australia. Follow your bank’s guidance if it gives any.
Why is there an and in British wording?
British and Australian speakers put and after hundreds, as in one hundred and five. They also put it before a final part under 100 that follows a larger part, as in one thousand and five.
What about a whole amount with no cents?
In words style the cents are left out, as in One thousand two hundred dollars. In fraction style the line ends with and 00/100 dollars, which shows that no cents were forgotten.
Does it work for euros or other currencies?
Not at present. The four countries covered use dollars or pounds, and the minor unit names are built in. For plain number words in any context use the Number to Words Converter.