Names of numbers in English

Here are examples of how to name numbers in English.

Cardinal numbers

If a number is in the range 21 to 99, and the second digit is not zero, one should write the number as two words separated by a hyphen.

In English, the hundreds are perfectly regular, except that the word hundred remains singular regardless of the number preceding it (obviously, one may on the other hand say "Hundreds of people flew in", or the like)

So are the thousands, with the number of thousands followed by the word "thousand"

In informal English, exact numbers larger than one million are seldom named, except perhaps for dramatic effect.

There is more than one way of forming intermediate numbers. One way is for when you are counting something. Another way is for when you are using numbers as labels. The second column method is used much more often in American English than British English. The third column is used in British English, but rarely in American English (although the use of the second and third columns is not necessarily directly interchangeable between the two regional variants).

Note: When writing a check (cheque), the number 100 is always written "one hundred". It is never "a hundred".

Note that in American English, it is non-standard to use the word and before tens and ones. It is instead used as a verbal delimiter when dealing with compound numbers. Thus, instead of "three hundred and seventy-three", Americans usually say (and write) "three hundred seventy-three". For details, see American and British English differences.

Here are some approximate large numbers in American English:

In British English, 1,000,000,000 is a thousand million or, rarely, a milliard. Traditionally, British English has followed the 'long scale' or European numbering system, although in recent years the 'short scale' (American) usage has become increasingly common. For example, the UK Government and BBC websites use the short-scale values exclusively, with 1,000,000,000 being termed a billion.

Often, large numbers are written with half-spaces instead of commas to separate thousands. Thus, a million is 1 000 000. In Commonwealth English, it can also be a point (.), but then, the decimal point becomes a comma.

Ordinal numbers

Here are some ordinal numbers.

Zeroth has no informal meaning, and may be considered mathematical or computer science jargon.

Ordinal numbers such as 21^st, 33^rd, etc, are formed by combining a cardinal ten with an ordinal unit.

Higher ordinals are not usually written in words. They are written using digits and letters as described below. Here are some rules that should be borne in mind. The suffixes -th, -st, -nd and -rd are usually written raised above the number itself (as superscript).

• If the ten's digit of a number is 1, then write "th" after the number. For example: 13^th, 19^th, 112^th, 9311^th.
• If the ten's digit is not equal to 1, then use the following table:

• For example: 2^nd, 7^th, 20^th, 23^rd, 52^nd, 135^th, 301^st.

Dates

Years before 2000 are read as follows:

The year 2000 is read "two thousand".

Years after 2000 have no set system as of yet for expressing them; however, the second form of zeroth-decade year pronunciation is more common (that is, 2003 to be said as "two thousand and three"), and post-2010 dates are often said as normal (2010 would be "twenty ten").

Note that years are only exceedingly rarely read as ordinal numbers, as "[...] in the one thousand one hundred and ninety-seventh year of our Lord" (that is, 1197), and this is considered archaic.

Dates sometimes do not use "st", "nd", etc, after the day of the month; however, it is always pronounced with this suffix.

• Examples:
  • I am writing this example on Jan. 2, 2003 (January second, two thousand and three).
  • The Twin Towers were destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001 (September eleventh, two thousand and one).

In British English, written dates with numbers have the date before the month (thus, as in most European date systems, day/month/year, eg 13/01/2000). When the month is spelt out, there are two options:

• the date is before the month and the ordinal suffix is appended (the 1^st of October 1848); in writing, the and especially of are sometimes left out from the date, peculiarly so when it stands alone, such as when writing cheques or the like (1^st October 1848)
• the date is after the month and, usually, but not always, no ordinal suffix is appended (September 4, 2006); in writing, the is always omitted, but it must be vocalised in British English (September the fourth, two thousand and six).

There is seldom a comma before the year, though it does appear, especially if the month comes first. If month names are abbreviated, they are not normally followed by a full-stop (thus, Aug (not Aug.) for August).

Compare:

• Today is 29^th January 2004. (Read: Today is the twenty-ninth of January, two thousand and four.)
• Today is the 29^th of January 2004. (the same)
• March 1 was known as the kalends of March in ancient Rome. (Read: March the first was known ...)
• We signed the documents on June 10, 1969. (Read: ... on June the tenth, nineteen sixty-nine)
• The European Union will fully accept its new members on 01/05/2004. (Read: ... on the first of May, two thousand and four)

Fractions and decimals

Here are some common fractions:

Alternatively, and for greater numbers, one may say for 1/2 "one over two", for 5/8 "five over eight", and so on.

Numbers with a decimal point are usually read as a whole number, then "point", then separate digits: it is not correct to read "0.12" as "zero point twelve".

• For example:
  • 0.002 is "zero point zero zero two"
  • 3.1416 is "three point one four one six"
  • 99.3 is "ninety-nine point three" (notice the usage of "ninety")

Some English speakers will say nought for the symbol 0. Thus, 0.002 becomes "nought point nought nought two". Sometimes, oh is also used (oh point oh oh two).

Very often, if the whole number is 0, it is not actually said in speech. Thus, "point nought nought two", "point zero zero two" or "point oh oh two".

The decimal point is sometimes in writing placed at the top of the line and sometimes at the centre (0·002), and is sometimes replaced by a decimal comma, especially in international publications.

• Fractions together with an integer are read as follows:
  • 1 1/2 is "one and a half"
  • 6 1/4 is read as "six and a quarter"
  • 7 5/8 is "seven and five eighths"

A space is required between the whole number and the fraction, however, if a special fraction character is used like "&frac12", then the space can be done without, eg.

• • 9 1/2
  • 9&frac12

See also English-language numerals.

Whether to use digits or words

According to your friendly neighborhood copy editor and/or English teacher, the numbers zero through nine should be "written out" – meaning instead of "1" and "2", one would write "one" and "two".

Example: "I have two apples." (Correct)

Example: "I have 2 apples." (Incorrect)

After "nine", one can head straight back into the 10, 11, 12, etc., although some write out the numbers until "twelve".

Example: "I have 28 grapes." (Correct)

Example: "I have twenty-eight grapes." (Incorrect)

Another common usage is to write out any number that can be expressed as one or two words, and use figures otherwise.

Examples:

"There are six million dogs." (Correct)

"There are 6,000,000 dogs." (Incorrect)

"That is one hundred and twenty-five oranges." (Incorrect)

"That is 125 oranges." (Correct)

Numbers at the beginning of a sentence should also be written out.

The above rules are not always used. In literature, larger numbers might be spelled out.

Specialised Numbers

When dealing with sport, results are read as in the following examples:

• 1–0 – one nil
• 0–0 – nil nil
• 2–2 – two two (or two to two or two all)
• 2–1 – two one (or two to one)

Tennis sometimes uses "love" for zero, from French l'oeuf (the egg), owing to zero's shape.

When stressing nothingness, other terms are used for 0: zero, zilch, nada, null, zip. This is true especially in combination with one another: "You know nothing – zero, nada, zilch!"

See also

• English-language numerals
• List of numbers