Numbers
Numbers are classified in grammar into two main groups: Cardinal and Ordinal.
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Cardinal Numbers
Cardinal Numbers are the basic form we use to count:
Ordinal Numbers
Ordinal Numbers are used to count in relation to other numbers:
In writing, we can use a shorthand of
Note that in compound ordinal numbers only the last figure is written as an ordinal number:
- 62nd = sixty second
- 143rd = hundred and forty third
Spelling
To create the ordinal spelling, just add -th to the cardinal spelling:
- four > fourth
- nine > ninth
The exceptions are:
- one > first
- two > second
- three > third
- five > fifth
- eight > eighth
- nine > ninth
- twelve > twelfth
In creating the shorthand version, simply use the last two letters of the ordinal added to the cardinal:
- forty fifth > 45th
- ninety second > 92nd
0
As a cardinal number, 0 has several different forms:
- oh (as in telephone numbers, 007, etc)
- nought (as in mathematics, etc)
- nil (as in football scores, etc)
- nothing (as in scores, etc)
- zero (as in mathematics, telephone numbers, science, etc)
- love (as in tennis: thirty-love)
It is also a special case in that it does not have an ordinal version.
Fractions/Decimals
When we deal with a smaller number than 1, we use either fractions or decimals:
Roman Numerals
Roman numerals are used in select cases, notably in titles and sometimes as year dates. In titles we add an and between the title and the number:
- Henry VIII > Henry the Eighth
- John IX > John the Ninth
Exceptions are cases like Word War II which is said as World War Two.
In Writing
In writing you should use a word at the beginning of a sentence but, if the writing is informal, you can use a digit inside the sentence.
See Also
The Counting Game - a simple game to practice numbers
