Learning numbers is one of the first and most important steps when learning English. Let’s explore the two main types of numbers: Cardinal and Ordinal.
What Are Cardinal Numbers?
Cardinal numbers are used to count things. They answer the question “How many?”
| Number | Word |
| 1 | one |
| 2 | two |
| 3 | three |
| 4 | four |
| 5 | five |
| 6 | six |
| 7 | seven |
| 8 | eight |
| 9 | nine |
| 10 | ten |
| 11 | eleven |
| 12 | twelve |
| 13 | thirteen |
| 14 | fourteen |
| 15 | fifteen |
| 16 | sixteen |
| 17 | seventeen |
| 18 | eighteen |
| 19 | nineteen |
| 20 | twenty |
Tens and beyond:
| Number | Word |
| 30 | thirty |
| 40 | forty |
| 50 | fifty |
| 60 | sixty |
| 70 | seventy |
| 80 | eighty |
| 90 | ninety |
| 100 | one hundred |
| 1,000 | one thousand |
Tip: For numbers like 21, 35, or 99, we say:
- 21 = twenty-one
- 35 = thirty-five
- 99 = ninety-nine
What Are Ordinal Numbers?
Ordinal numbers show the order or position of things. They answer the question “Which one?”
| Number | Ordinal Word |
| 1 | first |
| 2 | second |
| 3 | third |
| 4 | fourth |
| 5 | fifth |
| 6 | sixth |
| 7 | seventh |
| 8 | eighth |
| 9 | ninth |
| 10 | tenth |
| 11 | eleventh |
| 12 | twelfth |
| 13 | thirteenth |
| 14 | fourteenth |
| 15 | fifteenth |
| 20 | twentieth |
| 21 | twenty-first |
| 30 | thirtieth |
| 31 | thirty-first |
Tip: Just like in dates!
We say:
- Today is the 1st of May → “the first of May”
- My birthday is on the 15th → “the fifteenth”
Quick Comparison
| Use | Cardinal Number | Ordinal Number |
| Counting | I have two cats. | This is my second cat. |
| Telling age | She is ten years old. | – |
| Ranking places | – | He came in third place. |
| Dates | – | My exam is on the twenty-second of April. |
Pronunciation Notes
Be careful with pronunciation of tricky ones like:
- Third /θɜːrd/
- Fifth /fɪfθ/
- Eighth /eɪtθ/
- Twelfth /twɛlfθ/