Two Hundred and Forty in Numbers

How to write 240 in words

The number 240 is written “two hundred and forty” in British English. Notice the word “and”: British English places it between the hundreds and the rest of the group. American English usually leaves it out.

Because 240 is below one thousand it is a single group: name the hundreds, add "and", then name the remaining tens and units. That gives “two hundred and forty”.

In running text the number is normally lowercase: “the fee is two hundred and forty pounds”. At the start of a sentence, in a heading, or on a legal document it takes capitals: Two Hundred and Forty. Formal documents often give both forms together, for example “two hundred and forty (240)”, so that a reader can check one against the other.

4 words · 18 letters · 240 = 2.4 × 100 (one hundred)

Two Hundred and Forty in figures

To turn “two hundred and forty” back into digits, work group by group. Each group word (billion, million, thousand) marks a block of three digits. The result is 240, or 240 without separators.

How to write 240 on a cheque

Banks read the amount in words as the legal amount, so it must be exact. Write the pounds in words, add the word pounds, and finish with only so that nothing can be added afterwards.

• With pence: add the pence after the pounds – “Two hundred and forty pounds and fifty pence only” for £240.50 – or write the pence as a fraction, “Two hundred and forty pounds 50/100”.
• US check: “Two hundred forty and 00/100 dollars”. American cheques drop the “and” after the hundreds and put it before the cents.
• Bangladesh, India and Pakistan: the currency word comes first and the amount is counted in lakh and crore – “Taka two hundred and forty only”, with the figure written Tk. 240/=.

Read the full guide to writing a UK cheque or the guide to writing a cheque in Bangladesh for the layout, the date, and what to do if the words and figures disagree.

240 in British and American English

This is one of the numbers where the two spellings differ. British English keeps “and” after the hundreds; American English generally drops it.

Both are correct in their own country and both are understood everywhere. For a UK cheque, contract or exam, use the British form. See British vs American English numbers for the full comparison.

240 in Bangla (বাংলায় ২৪০)

In Bangla, 240 is written ২৪০ using Bengali digits, and in words it is দুইশো চল্লিশ. Bangla has its own word for every number from one to ninety-nine, and above that it counts in হাজার (thousand), লাখ (lakh) and কোটি (crore), the same grouping used across Bangladesh and India.

On a cheque or invoice written in Bangla the amount reads দুইশো চল্লিশ টাকা মাত্র (“দুইশো চল্লিশ taka only”). In English on the same cheque it is Taka two hundred and forty only – see How to write a cheque in Bangladesh.

Common mistakes when writing 240

• Dropping “and”. two hundred forty is American usage. In British English write two hundred and forty.
• Pluralising the group words. It is hundred, never “hundreds”, “thousands” or “millions” after a number.
• Mixing words and figures. In running text keep to one style: two hundred and forty or 240, not 240 (two hundred and forty) unless it is a legal document.

Other ways to write 240

Half of 240 is 120 (one hundred and twenty). Double 240 is 480 (four hundred and eighty).