Re: train direction


dontbother wrote:
[ ... ]

The BMJ (British Medical Journal)
group allows authors to begin sentences thus: "27 of the mice died
within 3 h." That's unheard of in American medical journals and in
almost every other self-respecting medical and professional journal I'm
aware of.

You are right about American publications, and the Chicago Guide agrees
with you: "When a number begins a sentence it is always spelled out
(rule 9.5)", but the only pretence at a reason is that it is supposed
to avoid awkwardness. They suggest

One hundred and ten candidates were accepted

or

In all, 110 candidates were accepted

Personally I find the first version tedious to write and awkward to
read.

I've long been conscious that American editors have a horror of numbers
at the beginnings of sentences, but I've never understood why: what's
supposed to be wrong with them?

Incidentally, the Amazon.com web site doesn't follow this usage: it
cheerfully puts things like "3 of 3 people found the following review
helpful". Do you cringe when you see that, or is it OK on the computer
screen, but not on paper?

a.

.

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