Letters and Numbers
Aim
The consistent use of numbers and letters to label activities is essential for clarity. Learners should always be able to follow a clear hierarchy of tasks, sub‑tasks, and items.
It is important to follow one system logically throughout the entire learning product. Most publishers provide a guideline that should be applied to all materials.
Numbered activities
In a student book or worksheet format, use numerals (1, 2, 3 …) for each new activity. Numbers restart in each new section of a unit.
In a PowerPoint presentation, each slide normally contains a single task that is identified by the slide number, so there is no need to number activities separately.
Learners only see the slide they are working on. All elements needed to complete the task must be included on that slide.
Lettered sentences
Use letters (a, b, c …) for lists, sentences, multiple‑choice questions, or sentence completions.
1. Complete the sentences with the prepositions (of, for, in).
a. My colleague is ______ charge ________ the payroll.
b. I’m responsible __________ booking invoices into the system.
c. Peter takes care __________ the expense accounts.
Multiple-choice options
Use letters for options in multiple‑choice tasks. Numbers can label sentences; letters can label choices.
Underline the most suitable noun combination in each group.
1. a) the plan of project b) the project plan c) a plan’s project
Listen to the second conversation again and answer the questions.
1. Which of these expressions did you hear?
a. Good to meet you.
b. Not too bad.
c. That sounds great!
Lower-case letters for sub-items
Use letters for sub‑items within an exercise so follow‑up questions are easy to reference and discuss.
1. Listen to the dialogue between two colleagues and answer the questions.
How does John feel about:
a. his manager’s announcement about restructuring.
b. his colleague’s reaction during the meeting.
c. the company’s plan to cut travel budgets.
Matching activities
The first set in matching tasks is labelled with numbers (1, 2, 3 …) and the second set with letters (a, b, c, …).
This applies to vocabulary–definition matching and matching sentence halves.
Match the verbs (1-5) with the nouns (a-e).
1. make a) a target
2. meet b) a decision
3. take c) an order
4. place d) minutes
5. write e) a risk
Gapped text
Use superscript numbers in gap‑fill tasks when a sentence contains more than one gap. Put the number after the gap and before any bracketed content.
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
Our company __________1 (employ) more than 200 people. I __________2 (work) here since 2019.
If you have gaps in numbered sentences, superscript numbers are not strictly necessary because the sentence numbers already help reference answers.
Capital letters in dialogues
Use capital letters to label speakers in dialogue scripts so learners can see turn‑taking clearly.
Work in pairs. Practise the dialogue.
A: Hello, I’m Maria.
B: Hi, I’m Tom. Nice to meet you.
Role-play labels
Label pairs using capital letters (Student A, Student B) to make roles clear and easy to assign.
Practise this conversation with a partner.
Student A: You are calling a supplier.
Ask about the delivery date of an order.
Student B: You are the supplier.
Check the order and give the delivery date.
Suggest an alternative if there is a delay.
Punctuation after letters and numbers
Decide whether letters and numbers should end with a full stop (e.g. a., 1.) and whether brackets should be used (e.g. (a)).
- If numbers or letters are highlighted in another way (colour, weight), a full stop is not necessary.
- If they are in the same font and size as the text, a full stop helps them stand out.
- Brackets can make options clearer in multiple‑choice and matching tasks, especially when sentence text follows immediately.
Key Takeaway
A clear, consistent system for numbers and letters makes tasks easier to reference and reduces confusion. Decide on one hierarchy for activities, sub‑items, matching sets, gaps, dialogues, and role‑plays, then apply it across all materials.