Table of Contents
Introduction
This page offers a list of ordinal and cardinal numbers and how to use them in writing.
Let’s start with understanding the difference between ordinal and cardinal numbers!
Ordinal Vs. Cardinal Numbers
Ordinal numbers show the order or position of things, like “first,” “second,” or “third.” Cardinal numbers tell us how many things there are, like “one,” “two,” or “three.”
Vocabulary: Ordinal and Cardinal Numbers
Let’s start with the cardinal numbers:
Cardinal Numbers:
Numbers from One to TenSymbol Word 0 Naught/Zero 1 One 2 Two 3 Three 4 Four 5 Five 6 Six 7 Seven 8 Eight 9 Nine 10 Ten
Numbers from Eleven to Twenty-nineSymbol Word 10 Ten 11 Eleven 12 Twelve 13 Thirteen 14 Fourteen 15 Fifteen 16 Sixteen 17 Seventeen 18 Eighteen 19 Nineteen 20 Twenty 21 Twenty-one 22 Twenty-two 23 Twenty-three 24 Twenty-four 25 Twenty-five 26 Twenty-six 27 Twenty-seven 28 Twenty-eight 29 Twenty-nine
Numbers from Thirty to Ninety-nineSymbol Word 30 Thirty 31 Thirty-one 40 Forty 41 Forty-one 50 Fifty 51 Fifty-one 60 Sixty 61 Sixty-one 70 Seventy 71 Seventy-one 80 Eighty 81 Eighty-one 90 Ninety 91 Ninety-one
Numbers from a Hundred to a ThousandSymbol Word 100 A hundred 101 A hundred and one 200 Two hundred 201 Two hundred and one 300 Three hundred 301 Three hundred and one 400 Four hundred 401 Four hundred and one 500 Five hundred 501 Five hundred and one 600 Six hundred 601 Six hundred and one 700 Seven hundred 701 Seven hundred and one 800 Eight hundred 801 Eight hundred and one 900 Nine hundred 901 Nine hundred and one 1000 A thousand
Ordinal Numbers – Used For Ranking:
| In figures | In words |
|---|---|
| 1st | The first |
| 2nd | The second |
| 3rd | The third |
| 4th | The fourth |
| 5th | The fifth |
| 6th | The sixth |
| 7th | The seventh |
| 8th | The eighth |
| 9th | The ninth |
| 10th | The tenth |
| 11th | The eleventh |
| 12th | The twelfth |
| 13th | The thirteenth |
| 14th | The fourteenth |
| 15th | The fifteenth |
| 16th | The sixteenth |
| 17th | The seventeenth |
| 18th | The eighteenth |
| 19th | The nineteenth |
| 20th | The twentieth |
| 21st | The twenty-first |
| 30th | The thirtieth |
| 40th | The fortieth |
| 50th | The fiftieth |
| 60th | The sixtieth |
| 70th | The seventieth |
| 80th | The eightieth |
| 90th | The ninetieth |
These tables provide a comprehensive guide to both cardinal and ordinal numbers in English.
When to Use Ordinal and Cardinal Numbers
Use ordinal numbers when you want to talk about the order or rank of things, such as “My birthday is on the fifteenth of June.” Use cardinal numbers when you want to say how many things there are, like “I have three apples.”
Writing Dates Using Ordinal and Cardinal Numbers
When writing dates, use ordinal numbers to show the day of the month, like “June 15th.” For the year and month, use cardinal numbers, like “2024.” So, a complete date might look like “June 15th, 2024.”
One can also use cardinal numbers in dates, especially when writing them in a more formal or concise manner. For example, instead of writing “June 15th,” you can simply write “June 15” using the cardinal number.
Similarly, for years, you would typically use cardinal numbers, like “2024”.
So, while ordinal numbers are common for specifying the day of the month, cardinal numbers can also be used in dates for brevity and clarity.
Things to Remember about Ordinal and Cardinal Numbers
Here are important things to remember about ordinal and cardinal numbers:
Ordinal Numbers:
- Indicate the order or position of things (e.g., first, second, third).
- Used when talking about dates, ranks, or sequences.
- Often end with “st,” “nd,” “rd,” or “th” (e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th).
Cardinal Numbers:
- Represent the quantity or number of things (e.g., one, two, three).
- Used when counting objects or expressing quantities.
- Do not have specific endings like ordinal numbers.
Usage:
- Use ordinal numbers for dates (e.g., June 15th) and rankings (e.g., third place).
- Use cardinal numbers for counting items (e.g., three apples) and stating quantities (e.g., 2024).
Writing Dates:
- Dates typically use ordinal numbers for the day (e.g., June 15th) and cardinal numbers for the year (e.g., 2024).
Clarity and Formality:
- Ordinal numbers provide specificity and order.
- Cardinal numbers offer brevity and simplicity, especially in formal writing.
