ORDINAL NUMBER

Ordinal Number

a.       Definition

The numbers which give us the exact position of an object are called ordinal numbers. Ordinal numbers tell the position of an object rather than their quantity.

 

b.      Table of ordinal number

Ordinal Numbers from 1 through 1,000,000
1	St	first	11	th	eleventh	21	st	twenty-first	31	st	thirty-first
2	Nd	second	12	th	twelfth	22	nd	twenty-second	40	th	fortieth
3	Rd	third	13	th	thirteenth	23	rd	twenty-third	50	th	fiftieth
4	Th	fourth	14	th	fourteenth	24	th	twenty-fourth	60	th	sixtieth
5	Th	fifth	15	th	fifteenth	25	th	twenty-fifth	70	th	seventieth
6	Th	sixth	16	th	sixteenth	26	th	twenty-sixth	80	th	eightieth
7	Th	seventh	17	th	seventeenth	27	th	twenty-seventh	90	th	ninetieth
8	Th	eighth	18	th	eighteenth	28	th	twenty-eighth	100	th	one hundredth
9	Th	ninth	19	th	nineteenth	29	th	twenty-ninth	1,000	th	one thousandth
10	Th	tenth	20	th	twentieth	30	th	thirtieth	1,000,000	th	one millionth

 

c.       Form

Spelling of Ordinal Numbers

Just add th to the cardinal number:

-          four - fourth

 eleven - eleventh

Exceptions:

-          one – first

-          two – second

-          three – third

-          five – fifth

-          eight – eighth

-          nine – ninth

-          twelve - twelfth

In compound ordinal numbers, note that only the last figure is written as an ordinal number:

-          421st = four hundred and twenty-first

-          5,111th = five thousand, one hundred and eleventh

 

d.      Figures

When expressed as figures, the last two letters of the written word are added to the ordinal number:

-          first = 1^st

-          second = 2^nd

-          third = 3^rd

-          fourth = 4^th

-          twenty-sixth = 26^th

-          hundred and first = 101^st

 

e.       Titles

In names for kings and queens, ordinal numbers are written in Roman numbers. In spoken English, the definite article is used before the ordinal number:

-          Charles II - Charles the Second

-          Edward VI - Edward the Sixth

-          Henry VIII - Henry the Eighth

Exercise

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Key answer

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