Write in American English on all occasions, but avoid using North American slang. American English can differ from British English in a variety of ways. The following table provides an overview.
| American Spelling | British Spelling | |
|---|---|---|
| ou vs. ous | color, flavor, favorite | colour, flavour, favourite |
| g vs. gue | catalog, dialog | catalogue, dialogue |
| m vs. mme | program | programme |
| ze vs. se | customize, organize | customise, organise |
| er vs. re | center, fiber | centre, fibre |
| ce vs. se | licence, practice | license, practise |
| ll vs. l | traveling, leveling | travelling, levelling |
| e vs. ae | encyclopedia | encyclopaedia |
This is not an exhaustive list of the differences. When in doubt, check this website: UK VS US SPELLING.
As a general rule, numbers less than 10 should be spelled out, while 10 and anything larger should be written in numerals. A few exceptions should be noted:
- Write about numbers in UI as they are displayed. As such, say:
- Work 0 instead of Work zero.
- Elapsed Time: 1h instead of Elapsed Time: one hour
- Where 0 could be misread as the letter o or O, follow it with a spelled out zero in a parenthesis. For example, say:
- Enter 0 (zero) in the bar, instead of Enter 0 in the bar.
- Write numerals for numbers less than 10 but have more than one digit. As such, say:
- 3.1 instead of three point one.
- 0.12 instead of zero point twelve.
- Write numerals when numbers are used together with units of measure. As such, say:
- -2°C instead of minus two °C.
- 8 dB instead of eight dB.
- 5 mm instead of five mm.
- Write numerals when describing ranges. As such, say:
- 2–3 months instead of two to three months.
- 1–2 minutes instead of one to two minutes.
- Don't start a sentence with a numeral. Restructure the sentence instead. If you have to start your sentence with a number, then spell it out. As such, say:
- Up till now, 10,000 customers have received their rewards.
- Ten thousand customers have received their rewards.
Different systems of measurement are used across the world. While most of the world use the metric system, the US uses the imperial system. The following table provides an overview of their common differences.
| Imperial System | Metrics System | |
|---|---|---|
| Lengths | inch (in.), foot (ft), yard (yd), mile (mi.) | millimeters (mm), centimeters (cm), meters (m), kilometers (km) |
| Area | square inch (in²), square foot (ft²), square yard (yd²), acre, square mile | square millimeter (mm²), square centimeter (cm²), square meter (m²), hectare, square kilometer |
| Volume | ounce (oz), cup (C), pint (pt), quart, gallon | milliliter (ml), liter (L) |
| Weights | ounce (oz), pound (lb), ton (t) | gram (g), kilogram (kg), ton (t) |
| Temperature | °F | °C |
| Speed | feet per second (fps), miles per hour (mph) | meters per second (m/s), kilometers per hour (km/h) |
To cater to a global audience's needs, stick to one system of measurement throughout your writing, and provide conversions in brackets.
Abbreviate units of measure terms. Do not spell them out, unless you want to avoid confusion.
For example, say:
- 120 h instead of 120 hours
- 15 mm instead of 15 millimeter
- 45 kg instead of 45 kilogram
- 20 lb instead of 20 pounds
Don't follow the abbreviation with a period, unless the term is inch. In that case, write it as in..
Consult Snapmaker Glossary when in doubt.