Numbers in English words

Would you like to learn counting in English? Mastering the pronunciation and spelling of numbers in a new language is crucial for tasks such as sharing phone numbers or everyday interactions like ordering food. In this brief tutorial, we'll cover how to write, spell, and say numbers from one to one hundred (1-100) in English. English numbers come from its two root languages, French and German. If you’re a native speaker of a Germanic or Romance language, many of these will sound familiar. If you’re not, we’ll still have you up to speed in no time.

What are the numbers 1 to 100?

Numbers are the foundation for completing and understanding different math problems. As children grow up, their education broadens and numbers play a big part on how their education develops. By learning the numbers, children can understand simple math concepts from a young age, which causes a great impact on their confidence in their math skills. This confidence paves the way for a more easy-going learning process in the future.

There are two main types of numbers:

Cardinal Numbers - 1 (one), 2 (two) etc. (Used mainly for counting)

Ordinal Numbers - 1st (first), 2nd (second) etc. (Used mainly for putting things in a sequence)

Cardinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers are normally used when you:

• count things: I have two brothers. There are thirty-one days in January.
• give your age: I am thirty-three years old. My sister is twenty-seven years old.
• give your telephone number: Our phone number is two-six-three, three-eight-four-seven. (481-2240)
• give years: She was born in nineteen seventy-five (1975). America was discovered in fourteen ninety-two

Ordinal numbers

are used to talk about positions or sequences, and also they have a very important use: to talk about dates in the calendar, like birthdays or other important events

1st – first

2nd – second

3rd – third

4th – fourth

5th – fifth

6th – sixth

7th – seventh

8th – eighth

9th – ninth

10th – tenth

11th – eleventh

12th – twelfth

13th – thirteenth

14th – fourteenth

15th – fifteenth

16th – sixteenth

17th – seventeenth

18th – eighteenth

19th – nineteenth

20th – twentieth

21st – twenty-first

22nd – twenty-second

23rd – twenty-third

30th – thirtieth

40th – fortieth

50th – fiftieth

60th – sixtieth

70th – seventieth

80th – eightieth

90th – ninetieth

100th – hundredth

Cardinal vs. ordinal numbers

Fractions and Decimals

We use ordinal numbers (at the end position) to talk about fractions.

• 1/2 - a half
• 1/3 - a third
• 2/3 - two thirds
• 1/4 - a quarter (a fourth)
• 3/4 - three quarters (three fourths)
• 1/5 - a fifth
• 2/5 - two fifths
• 1/6 - a sixth
• 5/6 - five sixths
• 1/7 - a seventh
• 1/8 - an eighth
• 1/10 - a tenth
• 7/10 - seven tenths
• 1/20 - a twentieth
• 47/100 - forty-seven hundredths
• 1/100 - a hundredth
• 1/1,000 - a thousandth

Reading decimals

Read decimals aloud in English by pronouncing the decimal point as "point", then read each digit individually. Money is not read this way.

Reading fractions

Converting between fractions and decimals

Fractions and decimals are related and can be converted into each other. To convert a fraction to a decimal, divide the numerator by the denominator. For example, 3/4 is equal to 0.75 in decimal form.

To convert a decimal to a fraction, identify the place value of the last digit and express it as the numerator, with the appropriate power of 10 as the denominator. For example, 0.75 can be written as 75/100, which can be simplified to 3/4.

Mathematical expressions

The basic mathematical expressions are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. We’ll explore the meanings of these operations .

Addition

involves merging two or more numbers to determine their cumulative sum. In English, addition is typically denoted by the word "plus" or the symbol "+".

Examples:

• 3 + 5 = 8
  • English expression: Three plus five equals eight.

Subtraction

Subtraction is the process of finding the difference between two numbers. In English, we express subtraction using the word “minus” or the “-” symbol.

Examples:

• 10 – 4 = 6
• English expression: Ten minus four equals six.

Multiplication

Multiplication is the process of repeated addition. In English, we express multiplication using the word “multiply” and “times” or the “×” symbol.

Examples:

• 2 × 3 = 6
• English expression: Two multiplied by three equals six.

Division

Division is the process of sharing a quantity equally into several parts. In English, we express division using “divide” or the “÷” symbol.

Examples:

• 12 ÷ 3 = 4
• English expression: Twelve divided by three equals four.

Common Questions About English Numbers

How can I read large numbers in English?

You can read large numbers by dividing them into groups of three consecutive digits, starting from the right. For example, 123,456 is read as “one hundred twenty-three thousand, four hundred fifty-six”.

How do I read decimal numbers in English?

The word "point" is used to indicate the decimal point, followed by reading each digit individually. For example, 3.14 is read as “three point one four”.

What is the correct way to pronounce percentages in English?

Percentages are pronounced by reading the number followed by adding the word “percent”. For example, 25% is pronounced as “twenty-five percent”.

How can I pronounce ordinal numbers in English?

The suffix “th” is added to the end of the ordinal number (except for numbers ending in 1, 2, and 3, which respectively end in “st”, “nd”, “rd”). For example, 4th is pronounced as “fourth”, and 11th is pronounced as “eleventh”.