Expert: A.M. Roher - 10/18/2006

Question
Which is correct:

held legally accountable

     or


legally held accountable



Also


when writing numbers in a sentence:

I will give the project a 1 year period consideration
.
should I write the number as a word or leave in numeral form?

thanks!

Answer
Hello, Kathi.

It's a tossup!  "Legally" is an adverb modifying the verb "held" and could assume a position either before or after the verb.  

However, "legally accountable" is another interpretation of this context.  In that case, "legally" is an adverb modifying the adjective "accountable" and can assume only the position immediately before the adjective it modifies.  Hence, your answer is:  it depends!

You might try asking one of AllExperts legal volunteers about this expression and whether there is technically a proper way to order the words.  In grammar, it is as I have pointed out.

In formal academic writing, "... a one-year period of consideration...."

In business correspondence, "...a 1-year period of consideration...."