Numbers in English (2024) - EnglishCentral Blog

Numbers are used in many areas of English. Numerical knowledge is fundamental for communication and is essential in many spheres of life, such as business, daily activities, and scientific compilations. Learning English numbers enables people to convey numerical instructions. The use of numbers in English varies depending on the context. Let’s explore the meaning and applicability of numbers in the English language.

Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers

A cardinal number (one, two, three, four, or five) indicates the quantity of an item.
An ordinal number (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc.) indicates a thing’s place in a list.

1	One	1st	First
2	Two	2nd	Second
3	Three	3rd	Third
4	Four	4th	Fourth
5	Five	5th	Fifth
6	Six	6th	Sixth
7	Seven	7th	Seventh
8	Eight	8th	Eighth
9	Nine	9th	Ninth
10	Ten	10th	Tenth
11	Eleven	11th	Eleventh
12	Twelve	12th	Twelfth
13	Thirteen	13th	Thirteenth
14	Fourteen	14th	Fourteenth
15	Fifteen	15th	Fifteenth
16	Sixteen	16th	Sixteenth
17	Seventeen	17th	Seventeenth
18	Eighteen	18th	Eighteenth
19	Nineteen	19th	Nineteenth
20	Twenty	20th	Twentieth
21	Twenty one	21st	Twenty-first
22	Twenty two	22nd	Twenty-second
23	Twenty three	23rd	Twenty-third
24	Twenty four	24th	Twenty-fourth
25	Twenty five	25th	Twenty-fifth
30	Thirty	30th	Thirtieth
31	Thirty one	31st	Thirty-first
32	Thirty two	32nd	Thirty-second
33	Thirty three	33rd	Thirty-third
34	Thirty four	34th	Thirty-fourth
40	Forty	40th	Fortieth
50	Fifty	50th	Fiftieth
60	Sixty	60th	Sixtieth
70	Seventy	70th	Seventieth
80	Eighty	80th	Eightieth
90	Ninety	90th	Ninetieth
100	One hundred	100th	Hundredth
1000	One thousand	1000th	Thousandth

Here are some examples of the use of cardinal and ordinal numbers in sentences:

Cardinal Numbers
On the table are four books.
She went to the grocery shop and purchased seven bananas.
Within an hour of opening for business, the firm sold fifty computers.
The classroom is filled with one hundred kids.

Ordinal numbers
She placed third in the competition.
He arrived at the meeting as the sixth person to do so.
The twentieth of September is Sarah’s birthday.
I have come to this museum twice before.
In the rating of the best performances, he ranked ninth.

Reading decimals

To read a decimal number, the following steps should be followed: first read the whole decimal number and then read the decimal point and read each digit of the rational fraction separately. For example, the number 12.50 is read as “Twelve point five zero”.

0.8	Point eight
0.35	Point three five
0.91	Point nine one
0.03	Point zero three
0.721	Point seven two one
4.17	Four point one seven

Reading fractions

To read fractions use the cardinal number as the numerator and the ordinal number as the denominator. Then make the ordinal number plural if the numerator is more than one. However there is an exception for “two” as the denominator, called “half” or in some cases, “halves.”

Written	Said
4/7	Four sevenths
6/8	Six eights
2/3	Two thirds
5/2	Five halves
3/5	Three fifths
7/8	Seven eights

Pronouncing percentages

First say the number and then use the word “percent” after it.

Written	Pronounced
6%	Six percent
45%	Forty-five percent
12.50%	Twelve point five percent
100%	One hundred percent
150%	One hundred fifty percent

Reading sums of money

To read sums of money, start by mentioning the currency, then continue with the whole number part. If there’s a decimal portion, read it as well. Finally, add the currency denomination such as dollars, pounds, or euros. This ensures clarity and precision in expressing the monetary value.

Written	Spoken
16$	Sixteen dollars
75€	Seventy-five euros
200₤	Two hundred pounds
$8.50	Eight dollars fifty cents
€30.75	Thirty euros seventy-five cents
₤50.25	Fifty pounds twenty-five pence

Pronouncing measurements

Just read out the number, followed by the unit of measurement, which is often shortened in the written form.

100m	One hundred meters
50km/h	Fifty kilometers per hour
15ft	Fifteen feet
5L	Five liters
2 tsp	Two teaspoons
4 tbsp	Four tablespoons

Pronouncing years

To pronounce years, start reading the first two digits and then the other two digits. Other words start by stating the numerical value of the year, such as “twenty-twenty” for 2020 or “nineteen sixty-four” for 1962.

Written	Spoken
2000 BC	Two thousand
1923	Nineteen twenty-three
5007	Five thousand seven
1002	Ten o two
5000	Five thousand
1903	Nineteen o three
933	Ninth thirty-three
1300	Thirteen hundred
21	Twenty-one

Frequently Asked Questions About Numbers in English

What is the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers?
Cardinal numbers describe amount (one, two, three), whereas ordinal numbers indicate item order or position (first, second, third.)

How do you pronounce large numbers in English?
Large numbers are often spoken in three-digit groupings separated by commas. For example, “1,543” is pronounced “one thousand five hundred forty-three.”

What are fractions?
Fractions are pieces of a whole that have a numerator (top number) and a denominator (bottom number).

What are prime numbers?
Prime numbers are natural numbers greater than one that have no positive divisors other than 1 and themselves. (for example, 2, 3, 5, 7)

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