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Maths

Numbers in English: How to Read and Write Them

Numbers in English: How to Read and Write Them

Q: 4. What is the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers?

This is a key concept in understanding numbers. Cardinal numbers tell you 'how many' of something there is. They are used for counting, like one, two, three, four.Ordinal numbers tell you the 'position' or rank of something in a series. For example, first (1st), second (2nd), and third (3rd).

Q: 7. How is reading a year different from reading a regular number?

That's an excellent question. While a number like 1,995 is read as 'one thousand, nine hundred and ninety-five', a year like 1995 is usually read in two parts: 'nineteen ninety-five'. This is a special rule in English that makes saying years quicker and easier.

Reviewed by:

Rama Sharma

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Numbers in Words

Learning numbers in English is an interesting activity, especially if we’ve planned it in a conventional way. We can indicate a number with an object or an item to represent that number. In this manner, we can help children understand such concepts easily and thoroughly. This will not only enable children to grasp the concepts, but also find them interesting to learn. In fact, there are several fun and engaging activities that can help children better understand numbers.

Let us look at numbers, decimals, fractions, and how to pronounce them in this article.

English Numbers

Pronouncing Numbers

Let us read the numbers in Cardinal and Ordinal form from 1-100 here.

Number Chart from 1-100

Number	Cardinal	Ordinal
1	One	First
2	Two	Second
3	Three	Third
4	Four	Fourth
5	Five	Fifth
6	Six	Sixth
7	Seven	Seventh
8	Eight	Eighth
9	Nine	Ninth
10	Ten	Tenth
11	Eleven	Eleventh
12	Twelve	Twelveth
13	Thirteen	Thirteenth
14	Fourteen	Fourteenth
15	Fifteen	Fifteenth
16	Sixteen	Sixteenth
17	Seventeen	Seventeenth
18	Eighteen	Eighteenth
19	Nineteen	Nineteenth
20	Twenty	Twentieth
21	Twenty one	Twenty first
22	Twenty two	Twenty second
23	Twenty three	Twenty third
24	Twenty four	Twenty fourth
25	Twenty five	Twenty fifth
26	Twenty six	Twenty sixth
27	Twenty seven	Twenty seventh
28	Twenty eight	Twenty eighth
29	Twenty nine	Twenty ninth
30	Thirty	Thirtieth
31	Thirty one	Thirty first
32	Thirty two	Thirty second
33	Thirty three	Thirty third
34	Thirty four	Thirty fourth
35	Thirty five	Thirty fifth
36	Thirty six	Thirty sixth
37	Thirty seven	Thirty seventh
38	Thirty eight	Thirty eighth
39	Thirty nine	Thirty ninth
40	Fourty	Fortieth
41	Forty one	Forty first
42	Forty two	Forty second
43	Forty three	Forty third
44	Forty four	Forty fourth
45	Forty five	Forty fifth
46	Forty six	Forty sixth
47	Forty seven	Forty seventh
48	Forty eight	Forty eighth
49	Forty nine	Forty ninth
50	Fifty	Fiftieth
51	Fifty one	Fifty first
52	Fifty two	Fifty second
53	Fifty three	Fifty third
53	Fifty four	Fifty fourth
55	Fifty five	Fifty fifth
56	Fifty six	Fifty sixth
57	Fifty seven	Fifty seventh
58	Fifty eight	Fifty eighth
59	Fifty nine	Fifty ninth
60	Sixty	Sixtieth
61	Sixty one	Sixty first
62	Sixty two	Sixty second
63	Sixty three	Sixty third
64	Sixty four	Sixty fourth
65	Sixty five	Sixty fifth
66	Sixty six	Sixty sixth
67	Sixty seven	Sixty seventh
68	Sixty eight	Sixty eighth
69	Sixty nine	Sixty ninth
70	Seventy	Sixtieth
71	Seventy one	Seventy first
72	Seventy two	Seventy second
73	Seventy three	Seventy third
74	Seventy four	Seventy fourth
75	Seventy five	Seventy fifth
76	Seventy six	Seventy sixth
77	Seventy seven	Seventy seventh
78	Seventy eight	Seventy eighth
79	Seventy nine	Seventy ninth
80	Eighty	Eightieth
81	Eighty one	Eighty first
82	Eighty two	Eighty second
83	Eighty three	Eighty third
84	Eighty four	Eighty fourth
85	Eighty five	Eighty fifth
86	Eighty six	Eighty sixth
87	Eighty seven	Eighty seventh
88	Eighty eight	Eighty eighth
89	Eighty nine	Eighty ninth
90	Ninety	Ninetieth
91	Ninety one	Ninety first
92	Ninety two	Ninety second
93	Ninety three	Ninety third
94	Ninety four	Ninety fourth
95	Ninety five	Ninety fifth
96	Ninety six	Ninety sixth
97	Ninety seven	Ninety seventh
98	Ninety eight	Ninety eighth
99	Ninety nine	Ninety ninth
100	Hundred	Hundredth
1,500	One thousand five hundred, or fifteen hundred	One thousand five hundredth
100,000	One hundred thousand	Hundred thousandth
1,000,000	One million	millionth

Numbers with the Multiple of 10 and From Hundred

Examples

A few examples of numbers used in sentences are given below.

He was the tenth person to win the award.
There are seventy-five people in the room.
He went to the US for the second time this year.
I must have asked you ten times to be quiet.
Seven hundred thousand people were left homeless after the war.

Reading fractions

When reading fractions, use the cardinal number for the numerator and the ordinal number for the denominator. If the numerator is greater than 1, make the ordinal number plural. With the exception of the number 2, which reads "half" when it is the denominator and "halves" when there are more than one, this rule applies to all numbers.

Fraction	Pronunciation
3/5	Three-fifths
1/2	One-half
3/2	Three halves

Reading Decimals

In English, read decimals aloud by pronouncing the decimal point as "point," then reading each digit separately. This is not how money is read.

Decimal	Pronunciation
0.5	Point five
0.75	Point seven five

Reading Percentages

In English, percentages are simple to read aloud. Simply say the number followed by the word "percent."

Percentage	Pronunciation
25%	Twenty-five percentage
100%	One-hundred percentage

Conclusion

As compared to the other languages, numbers in English are more interesting and there are various ways in which parents or teachers can teach students the number concepts. Involving children in some activities enhances their understanding of the concept in an easier manner.

FAQs on Numbers in English: How to Read and Write Them

1. What does it mean to write 'Numbers in English'?

Writing 'Numbers in English' simply means writing the number using letters instead of digits. This is also known as writing numbers in words. For example, instead of the digit '9', you would write the word 'nine'. This is a fundamental skill in Maths and English for clear communication.

2. What is an easy way to learn how to write numbers up to 100 in words?

The best way is to first memorise the spellings for numbers 1 to 20, as they are unique. Then, learn the spellings for the tens (twenty, thirty, forty, etc.). To write any number after 20, you simply combine the ten's name with the one's name. For example, 56 becomes 'fifty-six'.

3. How do you correctly write a three-digit number like 472 in English words?

To write a three-digit number, you state the hundreds place first, followed by the word 'and', and then the remaining two-digit number. So, for 472, you would write it as 'four hundred and seventy-two'. This structure helps in reading and understanding larger numbers clearly.

4. What is the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers?

This is a key concept in understanding numbers.

Cardinal numbers tell you 'how many' of something there is. They are used for counting, like one, two, three, four.
Ordinal numbers tell you the 'position' or rank of something in a series. For example, first (1st), second (2nd), and third (3rd).

5. Why is it important to learn the spellings of numbers?

Learning number spellings is crucial for real-world situations beyond the classroom. You need this skill to write a cheque, fill out legal or financial forms, and in formal writing where clarity is essential. Using words prevents misinterpretation of important figures.

6. Are there any common spelling mistakes to watch out for when writing numbers?

Yes, a few number spellings often trip students up. A very common mistake is with the number 40, which is spelled 'forty' (without the 'u'). Other numbers to be careful with include 'eighth' (which only has one 't') and 'twelfth'.

7. How is reading a year different from reading a regular number?

That's an excellent question. While a number like 1,995 is read as 'one thousand, nine hundred and ninety-five', a year like 1995 is usually read in two parts: 'nineteen ninety-five'. This is a special rule in English that makes saying years quicker and easier.