Numerals

There are three common types of
English numbers:
1. cardinal (showing quantity)
2. ordinal (showing order)
3. nominal (showing identity)
English Ordinal
Cardinal Ordinal
Number Abbreviations
1 one first 1st
2 two second 2nd
3 three third 3rd
4 four fourth 4th
5 five fifth 5th
6 six sixth 6th
7 seven seventh 7th
8 eight eighth 8th
9 nine ninth 9th
10 ten tenth 10th
11 eleven eleventh 11th
12 twelve twelfth 12th
13 thirteen thirteenth 13th
14 fourteen fourteenth 14th
15 fifteen fifteenth 15th
16 sixteen sixteenth 16th
17 seventeen seventeenth 17th
18 eighteen eighteenth 18th
19 nineteen nineteenth 19th
20 twenty twentieth 20th
22 twenty-two twenty-second 22nd
25 twenty-five twenty-fifth 25th
30 thirty thirtieth 30th
40 forty fortieth 40th
50 fifty fiftieth 50th
60 sixty sixtieth 60th
70 seventy seventieth 70th
80 eighty eightieth 80th
90 ninety ninetieth 90th
100 one hundred one hundredth 100th
one hundred one hundred
125 125th
twenty-five twenty-fifth
1. Cardinal numbers
Cardinal numbers are also known as "counting numbers" and are used to count
things. Cardinal numbers tell us "how many."
Examples:
 We have two dogs.
 I have $15.00.
 There are 12 birds.
 He is six years old today.
2. Ordinal numbers
Ordinal numbers are used to tell the order of things. They tell us level or position
in a group.
Examples:
 I am third in line.
 That was your fifth cookie!
 Happy 50th birthday!
 First, combine eggs, sugar, flour, and salt.
 He finished first in the race!
3. Nominal numbers
Nominal numbers are used to name and identify things. Nominal numbers can

be single or grouped numbers.
Nominal numbers include:
 social security numbers

 bank account numbers
 driver's license numbers
 employee and student identification numbers
 zip codes
(Las Vegas, NV 89101)

 telephone numbers
(1-800-562-0025)
 numbers of a train or bus route
(Take route 105 to get to the grocery store.)

 player numbers
(Number 40 has the ball!)
Cardinal and Ordinal English numbers can be used as determiners to help

identify nouns. They tell (determine) how much or which one.
Examples of numbers as determiners:
 We invited fifty people to our wedding.

 Jenny got first place at the art contest.
 Add 1 egg to the cookie batter.
Rules for writing numbers

1. When to spell out numbers
A) Spell out numbers less than 10.
 one
 two
 five
 15
 16
 150
B) Don't begin a sentence with a numeral. Spell it out.
 Incorrect: 15 children were at the concert.
 Correct: Fifteen children were at the concert.
D) Spell out numbers in most formal writing.
E) Spell out numbers when writing time with "o'clock."
 Incorrect: School starts at 8 o'clock each day.
 Correct: School starts at eight o'clock each day.
2. When to use numerals in writing

A) Use numerals with a set of numbers or nominal numbers.
 Players 10, 15, and 45 have fouled out of the game.
 My city's zip code is 89520.
B) Use numerals with fractions and percents in tables, mathematics, and

science.
 25%
 100%
 2/3
 5 1/2
*We usually spell out "percent" in formal writing.

 25 percent
 100 percent
C) Use numerals for measurements.

 The tree is 10 feet 6 inches tall.
 The tree is 10' 6" tall.
D) Use numeral for recipes.

 2 cups water
 3 eggs
 4 tablespoons sugar
E) Most advertisements use numerals.
F) Use numerals with time written with a.m. and p.m.

 School starts at 8:00 a.m.
 The bus will arrive at 9:10 p.m.
G) Internet, newspaper, and magazine headlines and articles usually use

numerals.
Numbers stand out in writing if they are written as numerals.
 Correct: The club raised $100 for charity!
 Incorrect: The club raised one-hundred dollars for charity!
Newspapers and magazines usually use numerals to save space and to allow

readers to easily scan for facts.
Ex.1. Write the answers to these sums in words:
Example: £4.99 + £9.50 = fourteen pounds forty nine pence
1. £2.85 + £3.95 = ________________________________
2. £17.69 + £4.80 = ________________________________
3. £2.99 x 3 = ________________________________
4. £4.50 x 4 = ________________________________
5. £35 + £2.99 + £4.99 = ________________________________
6. 80p - 55p = ________________________________
7. £7.95 + £18.50 = ________________________________
8. £1.50 - 23p = ________________________________
9. 95p + £10.48 = ________________________________
10. £110.99 + £12.99 + £4.99 = ________________________________
11. 89p - 22p = ________________________________
12. 68p + £2.89 - £2.50 = ________________________________
Ex.2. Complete the sentences using one of these ordinals:
first second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twelfth
1. October is the ________________ month of the year.

2. January is the ________________ month of the year.
3. April is the ________________ month of the year.
4. March is the ________________ month of the year.
5. September is the ________________ month of the year.
6. June is the ________________ month of the year.
7. May is the ________________ month of the year.
8. February is the ________________ month of the year.
9. December is the ________________ month of the year.
10. July is the ________________ month of the year.
11. November is the ________________ month of the year.
12. August is the ________________ month of the year.
Ex.3. Answer the questions. Write the numbers in full.

1. How many minutes are there in two hours? 2. How many kilometers are there in
a mile? 3. What is your normal temperature? 4. How much do you weigh? 5. How
many cents are there in $2,5? 6. How many days are there in a year? 7. When were
you born? 8. What is your telephone number? 9. What is the number of your flat?
Ex.4. Correct the mistakes (if any) in these sentences.

1 The radio said that there were more than ten thousands people taking part in the
meeting. 2. She bought two dozens eggs. 3. My birthday is on the twenty-one of
March. 4. His telephone number is four six seven, five nought, nine two. 5. There
are two hundred fifteen pages in this book. 6, Write down the following: zero point
six hundred and twelve plus six point nought two. 7. This is twenty-five per cents
of the total. 8. The game ended with the score three nought. 9. The temperature is
two degrees below oh. 10. He was born in nineteen eighty-first.

Numerals

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Numerals

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Numerals

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

There are three common types of

1. cardinal (showing quantity)

2. ordinal (showing order)

3. nominal (showing identity)

Nominal numbers are used to name and identify things. Nominal numbers can

Nominal numbers include:

 social security numbers

(Las Vegas, NV 89101)

(Take route 105 to get to the grocery store.)

(Number 40 has the ball!)

Cardinal and Ordinal English numbers can be used as determiners to help

Examples of numbers as determiners:

 We invited fifty people to our wedding.

Rules for writing numbers

2. When to use numerals in writing

B) Use numerals with fractions and percents in tables, mathematics, and

*We usually spell out "percent" in formal writing.

C) Use numerals for measurements.

D) Use numeral for recipes.

E) Most advertisements use numerals.

F) Use numerals with time written with a.m. and p.m.

G) Internet, newspaper, and magazine headlines and articles usually use

Newspapers and magazines usually use numerals to save space and to allow

Ex.2. Complete the sentences using one of these ordinals:

1. October is the ________________ month of the year.

Ex.3. Answer the questions. Write the numbers in full.

Ex.4. Correct the mistakes (if any) in these sentences.

You might also like