How To Spell Ordinal Numbers

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1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 21st, 22nd, 33rd

These numbers are called ordinal numbers.

Why do we spell 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th like this?Where do the letters come from?

In this lesson, we're looking at the spelling of ordinal numbers and a few rules.

1st = first (She won first prize.)2nd = second (I live on the 2nd floor.)3rd = third (Take the third turning on the left.)4th = fourth (It's his fourth birthday.)5th = fifth (This is the 5th time I've taken my driving test.)

We need to write these ordinal numbers in words in formal writing - business, job applications, etc. But it's OK to write them in numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd...) in informal writing to friends, colleagues, social media comments, etc.

Look at these and notice the last two letters of the words1st = first2nd = second3rd = third4th = fourth5th =fifth

Can you see the last two letters of the words make up the ordinal number?first - last two letters are 'st' so put after 1 = 1stsecond - last two letters are 'nd' put after 2 = 2ndthird - last two letters are 'rd' so put after 3 = 3rd4th - last two letters are 'th' so put after 4 = 4th

We just add 'th' to teen numbers:14th = fourteenth (fourteen + th)15th = fifteenth (It's her fifteenth birthday.)16th = sixteenth17th = seventeenth18th = eighteenth19th = nineteenth

Hyphens for Normal Numbers and Ordinal Numbers from 21 upwardsWe need a hyphen when we write cardinal numbers from 21 upwards. Notice there's no space between the letters and hyphen:twenty-onetwenty-twothirty-threesixty-sevenone hundred and twenty-nineone thousand two hundred and thirty-one pounds

Using a hyphen also applies to ordinal numbers from 21st.twenty-first = 21st (It's her 21st on Sunday.)twenty-secondtwenty-third = 23rdthirty-second = 32ndthirty-third = 33rdforty-third = 43rdforty-fourth = 44thfifty-third = 53rdfifty-fifth = 55thsixty-fourth = 64thsixty-sixth = 66thseventy-eighth = 78thseventy-seventh = 77theighty-second = 82ndeighty-eighth = 88thninety-ninth = 99thtwo hundred and twenty-first = 221stRemember, no space between hyphen and words.

Spelling rules with whole numbers - 20th, 30th, 40th...20th = twentieth We have twenty and change the 'y' to 'ie' and add 'th' = twentieth (My birthday is on the 20th)30th = thirtieth (It's her thirtieth birthday.)40th = fortieth (It's my 40th birthday tomorrow.)50th = fiftieth60th = sixtieth70th = seventieth80th = eightieth90th = ninetieth

In long numbers, 'th' is added to the last number:106th = one hundred and sixth242nd = two hundred and forty-second2018th = two thousand and eighteenth

Carefulfour, fourteen, forty (drop the u) and fourth, fourteenth, fortieth

five, fifteen, fifty and fifth, fifteenth, fiftieth ( the 'f' helps pronunciation)

nine, nineteen, ninety but ninth (drop the 'e'), nineteenth, ninetieth (keep the ‘e’)

twelve but twelfth (Notice the 'v' becomes 'f')

Now do the exercise below

Exercise Type the words in the box and then check the spelling by pressing the Get answer! button. Check the spelling carefully. a: 1st