Numerals: Cardinal and Ordinal: English ЕГЭ 2025 Preparation

Numerals are words that express numbers or quantities. Understanding how to form and use cardinal and ordinal numbers in English is essential for the ЕГЭ English exam. This guide will help you master numerals and use them correctly in various contexts.

Theory for Exam Preparation

In English, numerals are divided into two main categories: cardinal numbers (one, two, three, etc.) and ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.). Cardinal numbers express quantity, while ordinal numbers express position or order. Mastering both types of numerals is crucial for achieving a high score in the ЕГЭ English exam, as they are frequently used in both everyday communication and academic contexts.

Cardinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers express quantity and answer the question "How many?"

Basic Cardinal Numbers (0-20)

Tens (20-90)

Hundreds, Thousands, and Beyond

For numbers between 100 and 999, we use "hundred" followed by "and" (in British English) and the rest of the number:

• 101 = one hundred and one (British English) / one hundred one (American English)
• 246 = two hundred and forty-six (British English) / two hundred forty-six (American English)
• 999 = nine hundred and ninety-nine (British English) / nine hundred ninety-nine (American English)

For larger numbers, we use a similar pattern:

• 1,001 = one thousand and one (British English) / one thousand one (American English)
• 2,345 = two thousand three hundred and forty-five (British English) / two thousand three hundred forty-five (American English)
• 1,000,000 = one million
• 1,234,567 = one million two hundred and thirty-four thousand five hundred and sixty-seven (British English) / one million two hundred thirty-four thousand five hundred sixty-seven (American English)

Special Cases with Cardinal Numbers

Telephone Numbers

When reading telephone numbers, we usually say each digit separately:

• 123-456-7890 = one two three, four five six, seven eight nine zero

Sometimes, we group the digits in pairs:

• 123-456-7890 = twelve, thirty-four, fifty-six, seventy-eight, ninety

Years

For years, we usually divide the number into two parts and read each part as a separate number:

• 1984 = nineteen eighty-four
• 2023 = twenty twenty-three

For years before 2000, especially those in the 1000s, we sometimes read them as a whole number:

• 1066 = ten sixty-six or one thousand and sixty-six
• 1500 = fifteen hundred

Decimals

For decimal numbers, we say "point" for the decimal point and then read each digit separately:

• 3.14 = three point one four
• 0.5 = zero point five or point five
• 2.75 = two point seven five

Fractions

For fractions, we use ordinal numbers for the denominator (except for the fraction 1/2):

• 1/2 = a half or one half
• 1/4 = a quarter or one quarter
• 3/4 = three quarters
• 1/3 = a third or one third
• 2/3 = two thirds
• 3/5 = three fifths
• 7/10 = seven tenths

Percentages

For percentages, we say "percent" after the number:

• 25% = twenty-five percent
• 100% = one hundred percent
• 3.5% = three point five percent

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers express position or order and answer the question "Which one in order?"

Basic Ordinal Numbers (1st-20th)

Formation of Ordinal Numbers

For most numbers, we add -th to the cardinal number:

• four → fourth
• six → sixth
• twenty → twentieth

There are some exceptions:

• one → first
• two → second
• three → third
• five → fifth (note the change from 'v' to 'f')
• eight → eighth (keep the 't')
• nine → ninth (drop the 'e')
• twelve → twelfth (change 've' to 'f')

For numbers ending in -y, we change -y to -ie and add -th:

• twenty → twentieth
• fifty → fiftieth

For compound numbers, only the last part is changed to an ordinal number:

• twenty-one → twenty-first
• forty-five → forty-fifth
• ninety-nine → ninety-ninth

For larger numbers, the same rule applies:

• one hundred and one → one hundred and first
• two thousand and twenty-three → two thousand and twenty-third

Special Cases with Ordinal Numbers

Dates

In British English, we use ordinal numbers for dates, while in American English, we use cardinal numbers:

• January 1st or the 1st of January (British English)
• January 1 (American English)

When writing dates, we can use the abbreviations of ordinal numbers:

• 1st January, 2nd February, 3rd March, 4th April, etc.

Centuries

We use ordinal numbers for centuries:

• the 20th century (the twentieth century)
• the 21st century (the twenty-first century)

Floors

In British English, the ground floor is called "the ground floor," and the floor above it is "the first floor." In American English, the ground floor is called "the first floor," and the floor above it is "the second floor."

Monarchs and Popes

For monarchs and popes, we use Roman numerals in writing, but ordinal numbers when speaking:

• Elizabeth II = Elizabeth the Second
• Henry VIII = Henry the Eighth
• Pope John Paul II = Pope John Paul the Second

Usage of Numerals in Context

Cardinal Numbers in Sentences

Cardinal numbers are used to express quantity:

• I have three brothers and two sisters.
• There are twenty-five students in my class.
• The book costs fifteen dollars.

Ordinal Numbers in Sentences

Ordinal numbers are used to express position or order:

• She came first in the race.
• This is my third visit to London.
• He lives on the tenth floor.

Numbers with Nouns

When numbers are used with nouns, the noun is usually in the plural form (except for "one"):

• one book
• two books
• three books

However, there are some exceptions:

• After expressions like "a hundred," "a thousand," etc., the noun can be either singular or plural: a hundred people or a hundred peoples
• In expressions of measurement, time, money, etc., the noun is often in the singular form: five foot ten (height) ten mile (distance) twenty pound (weight or money in British English)

Numbers in Hyphenated Compounds

Numbers are often used in hyphenated compounds before nouns:

• a five-year-old child
• a twenty-page report
• a three-hour meeting

Writing Numbers: Digits vs. Words

In general, small numbers (one to ten) are written in words, while larger numbers are written in digits:

• I have three brothers.
• There are 25 students in my class.

However, there are some exceptions:

• In technical or scientific writing, numbers are often written in digits: The experiment was repeated 3 times.
• At the beginning of a sentence, numbers should be written in words: Twenty-five students attended the lecture.
• In a series of numbers, use the same format for all numbers: The ages of the children are 4, 7, and 12.

Common Errors with Numerals

Confusion between Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers

• Incorrect: She lives on the five floor.
• Correct: She lives on the fifth floor.
• Incorrect: This is my two visit to London.
• Correct: This is my second visit to London.

Incorrect Formation of Ordinal Numbers

• Incorrect: twenty-oneth
• Correct: twenty-first
• Incorrect: threeth
• Correct: third

Incorrect Use of Hyphens

• Incorrect: twenty one
• Correct: twenty-one
• Incorrect: forty-five-thousand
• Correct: forty-five thousand

Incorrect Agreement with Nouns

• Incorrect: one books
• Correct: one book
• Incorrect: five hundreds people
• Correct: five hundred people

Practice Examples

Key Points to Remember

• Cardinal numbers express quantity and answer the question "How many?"
• Ordinal numbers express position or order and answer the question "Which one in order?"
• For numbers 21-99 (except for multiples of 10), we combine the tens with the units using a hyphen (e.g., twenty-one, forty-five)
• In British English, "and" is used before the tens and units in numbers above 100 (e.g., one hundred and twenty-five), while in American English, "and" is often omitted (e.g., one hundred twenty-five)
• For most numbers, we add -th to form ordinal numbers (e.g., fourth, sixth, twentieth)
• There are some exceptions in forming ordinal numbers (e.g., first, second, third, fifth, eighth, ninth, twelfth)
• For compound numbers, only the last part is changed to an ordinal number (e.g., twenty-first, forty-fifth)
• When numbers are used with nouns, the noun is usually in the plural form (except for "one")
• Small numbers (one to ten) are generally written in words, while larger numbers are written in digits