Numbers in English: A Complete Guide with Examples

Numbers are everywhere in everyday English. We use them to count things, tell the time, talk about prices, give dates, describe quantities, read addresses, and understand measurements.

Learning numbers in English involves more than knowing how to count from one to one hundred. You also need to know how to read and use large numbers, ordinal numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, dates, years, money, and mathematical expressions.

For example:

• 25 — twenty-five

• 1,500 — one thousand five hundred

• 3rd — third

• 1/2 — one-half

• 2.5 — two point five

• 75% — seventy-five percent

• $19.99 — nineteen dollars and ninety-nine cents

In this guide, you’ll learn how numbers work in English, how to read and say different types of numbers correctly, and how to use them naturally in everyday situations.

Basic Numbers in English

The first numbers English learners usually learn are cardinal numbers. Cardinal numbers tell us how many people, objects, or things there are.

For example:

• one student
• two books
• five apples
• ten questions
• twenty people

Cardinal Numbers from 0 to 20

Here are the basic cardinal numbers in English:

Numbers from 13 to 19 usually end in -teen, such as thirteen, fourteen, and nineteen.

Numbers in Tens

After twenty, English numbers follow a more regular pattern.

To form most numbers between the tens, combine the tens number with a number from one to nine:

• 21 — twenty-one
• 32 — thirty-two
• 45 — forty-five
• 58 — fifty-eight
• 67 — sixty-seven
• 79 — seventy-nine
• 86 — eighty-six
• 99 — ninety-nine

When numbers from 21 to 99 are written in words and are not exact multiples of ten, a hyphen is normally used between the two parts: twenty-one, forty-six, and ninety-nine.

Examples of Cardinal Numbers in Sentences

Cardinal numbers are commonly used to express quantities:

• I have two brothers.
• She bought five notebooks.
• There are twenty students in the class.
• We planted thirty-five trees.
• The library has one hundred computers.

If you want to practice the complete sequence, see our guide to Numbers 1 to 100: Learn How to Count in English.

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers show the position, order, or rank of something in a sequence. While cardinal numbers tell us how many, ordinal numbers tell us which position.

For example:

• 1st — first

• 2nd — second

• 3rd — third

• 4th — fourth

• 5th — fifth

Here are some common ordinal numbers:

Most ordinal numbers use the ending -th, but first, second, and third have irregular forms. Some spellings also change, such as five → fifth, nine → ninth, and twelve → twelfth.

For compound ordinal numbers, only the final part becomes ordinal:

• 21st — twenty-first

• 32nd — thirty-second

• 43rd — forty-third

• 101st — one hundred first

Cardinal vs. Ordinal Numbers

Compare these examples:

• There are five students. → cardinal number

• Ali finished fifth in the race. → ordinal number

• I have three books. → cardinal number

• This is the third book in the series. → ordinal number

Ordinal numbers are commonly used for dates, rankings, floors, centuries, competitions, chapters, and positions.

For example:

• Her birthday is on the 21st of May.

• Our office is on the fourth floor.

• She came second in the competition.

• We live in the twenty-first century.

To learn the formation, spelling, pronunciation, and uses of ordinal numbers in more detail, see our complete guide to Ordinal Numbers in English.

Large Numbers in English

Once you understand basic numbers, you can begin reading and saying large numbers in English. Large numbers are grouped into hundreds, thousands, millions, billions, and beyond.

Hundreds, Thousands, Millions, and Billions

Notice that hundred, thousand, million, billion, and trillion normally remain singular when they follow an exact number.

For example:

• 200 — two hundred
• 5,000 — five thousand
• 7,000,000 — seven million
• 10,000,000,000 — ten billion

We do not normally say two hundreds, five thousands, or seven millions when giving an exact number.

How to Read Large Numbers

Large numbers become easier to read when you divide them into groups of three digits from right to left.

For example:

1,234,567

This can be divided into:

1 | 234 | 567

Then read each group:

• 1 million
• 234 thousand
• 567

The complete number is:

one million, two hundred thirty-four thousand, five hundred sixty-seven

Here are more examples:

• 125 — one hundred twenty-five
• 1,500 — one thousand five hundred
• 12,450 — twelve thousand four hundred fifty
• 250,000 — two hundred fifty thousand
• 2,500,000 — two million five hundred thousand
• 25,750,000 — twenty-five million seven hundred fifty thousand

Using “And” in Large Numbers

There is a small difference between common British and American usage.

In British English, and is commonly used after hundred:

• 125 — one hundred and twenty-five
• 342 — three hundred and forty-two

In American English, and is often omitted:

• 125 — one hundred twenty-five
• 342 — three hundred forty-two

Both patterns are widely understood. The important thing is to recognize the variation and use a consistent style.

Commas in Large Numbers

In standard English number formatting, commas are commonly used to separate groups of three digits:

• 1,000
• 25,000
• 500,000
• 1,250,000
• 10,000,000

These separators make large numbers much easier to read.

For example, compare:

12500000

with:

12,500,000

The second form can be recognized much more quickly as twelve million five hundred thousand.

Common Mistakes with Large Numbers

Be careful with these common errors:

Incorrect: five millions people
Correct: five million people

Incorrect: three thousands dollars
Correct: three thousand dollars

Also pay attention to the difference between similar-looking numbers:

• 100,000 — one hundred thousand
• 1,000,000 — one million
• 10,000,000 — ten million
• 100,000,000 — one hundred million
• 1,000,000,000 — one billion

Learning to separate large numbers into groups of three digits makes them much easier to read accurately.

Fractions in English

A fraction represents a part of a whole. Fractions are written with one number above or before another number, such as 1/2, 1/3, 3/4, and 5/8.

When we read fractions in English, the top number is called the numerator, and the bottom number is called the denominator.

For example:

3/4

• 3 is the numerator.
• 4 is the denominator.
• We read 3/4 as three-quarters.

How to Read Fractions in English

For most fractions, we say the numerator as a cardinal number and the denominator as an ordinal number.

When the numerator is greater than one, the denominator is normally plural:

• 1/3 — one-third
• 2/3 — two-thirds
• 1/5 — one-fifth
• 4/5 — four-fifths

Half and Quarter

Some fractions have especially common names.

1/2 is usually read as one-half or simply a half.

1/4 can be read as one-quarter, a quarter, or one-fourth.

For example:

• I ate half of the pizza.
• She drank a quarter of the bottle.
• Two-thirds of the students passed the test.

Mixed Numbers

A mixed number contains a whole number and a fraction.

For example:

• 1 1/2 — one and a half
• 2 1/4 — two and a quarter
• 3 1/2 — three and a half
• 5 3/4 — five and three-quarters

Mixed numbers are common when talking about measurements, quantities, time, and everyday objects.

For example:

• The journey took two and a half hours.
• Add one and a quarter cups of milk.
• The table is three and a half feet long.

Understanding fractions is especially useful when talking about measurements, recipes, prices, time, statistics, and mathematics.

Decimals in English

A decimal is a number that contains a decimal point. Decimals are commonly used for measurements, prices, statistics, scientific data, and calculations.

The symbol (.) is called a decimal point in English.

For example:

• 1.5 — one point five

• 2.75 — two point seven five

• 10.25 — ten point two five

How to Read Decimals in English

When reading a decimal aloud, say the whole number first, then say point, followed by each digit after the decimal point separately.

Notice that the digits after the decimal point are normally read one at a time.

For example:

6.47

is read:

six point four seven

rather than six point forty-seven.

Reading Zero in Decimals

Zero is important when it appears after the decimal point because it affects the value of the number.

For example:

• 3.05 — three point zero five

• 7.09 — seven point zero nine

• 0.04 — zero point zero four

In informal speech, the zero before the decimal point is sometimes omitted:

• 0.5 — point five

• 0.25 — point two five

However, saying zero point five and zero point two five is clearer, especially for English learners.

Decimals in Everyday English

Decimals appear in many everyday situations:

• The temperature increased by 2.5 degrees.

• The box weighs 4.75 kilograms.

• The distance is 1.8 miles.

• The average score was 8.6 out of 10.

• The population increased by 1.2 percent.

When a decimal represents money, we often read the amount according to the currency rather than saying point.

For example:

$12.50 is normally read as twelve dollars and fifty cents, rather than twelve point five zero dollars.

Learning how to pronounce decimals correctly is especially important when discussing measurements, money, percentages, statistics, and numerical data.

Percentages in English

A percentage expresses a number as a proportion of 100. The symbol % means percent.

For example:

• 1% — one percent

• 10% — ten percent

• 25% — twenty-five percent

• 50% — fifty percent

• 75% — seventy-five percent

• 100% — one hundred percent

The word percent is normally used after the number.

How to Read Percentages

Most percentages are straightforward to read. Say the number first and then add percent.

Percentages can also contain decimals:

• 0.5% — zero point five percent

• 1.5% — one point five percent

• 2.75% — two point seven five percent

• 10.25% — ten point two five percent

Percentages in Everyday English

Percentages are frequently used when talking about discounts, test scores, statistics, interest rates, and changes in quantities.

For example:

• The store is offering a 20% discount.

• She answered 90% of the questions correctly.

• Prices increased by 5%.

• About 75% of the students attended the class.

• The company reported a 10% increase in sales.

Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages

Fractions, decimals, and percentages can express the same value in different ways.

For example:

1/2 = 0.5 = 50%

All three forms represent the same value: one-half.

Understanding these different forms makes it easier to read numerical information in everyday English, mathematics, business, education, and statistics.

Mathematical Operations in English

Numbers are frequently used in mathematical calculations. To talk about mathematics in English, you need to know how to pronounce common mathematical symbols and equations.

Basic Mathematical Operations

The four basic mathematical operations are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Addition

The plus sign (+) is used for addition.

For example:

7 + 5 = 12

We say:

Seven plus five equals twelve.

Subtraction

The minus sign (−) is used for subtraction.

For example:

15 − 6 = 9

We say:

Fifteen minus six equals nine.

Multiplication

The multiplication sign (×) is commonly read as times.

For example:

8 × 7 = 56

We say:

Eight times seven equals fifty-six.

You may also hear multiplied by, especially in more formal mathematical language:

Eight multiplied by seven equals fifty-six.

Division

The division sign (÷) is usually read as divided by.

For example:

24 ÷ 6 = 4

We say:

Twenty-four divided by six equals four.

Equals and Other Comparison Symbols

The equals sign (=) is usually pronounced equals or is equal to.

Other common mathematical symbols include:

For example:

• 10 > 5 — ten is greater than five

• 3 < 8 — three is less than eight

• 5 ≠ 7 — five is not equal to seven

Powers and Exponents

Exponents show how many times a number is multiplied by itself.

For example:

2³ = 8

This can be read as:

Two cubed equals eight.

or:

Two to the power of three equals eight.

Another example is:

5² = 25

This is commonly read as:

Five squared equals twenty-five.

Square Roots

The symbol √ represents a square root.

For example:

√16 = 4

We say:

The square root of sixteen equals four.

Another example:

√81 = 9

The square root of eighty-one equals nine.

These expressions are useful when discussing mathematics, measurements, statistics, science, and other subjects that involve numerical calculations.

For a more complete explanation of mathematical vocabulary and symbols, see our guide to Basic and Important Math Symbols in English.

Dates in English

Numbers are an important part of writing and saying dates in English. Dates usually include the day, month, and year, but their order can vary between American and British English.

For example, the date July 29, 2024 can be written and said in different ways.

American and British Date Formats

In American English, the month usually comes before the day:

July 29, 2024

It can be read as:

July twenty-ninth, twenty twenty-four

In British English, the day usually comes before the month:

29 July 2024

It can be read as:

the twenty-ninth of July, twenty twenty-four

Numeric dates can therefore be confusing.

For example:

04/07/2026

In the United States, this normally means:

April 7, 2026

In British English and many other countries, it normally means:

4 July 2026

For international communication, writing the month in words can make the date clearer.

Ordinal Numbers in Dates

Although dates are often written with cardinal-number digits, we commonly use ordinal numbers when saying them.

For example:

In British-style speech, you may hear:

• January 1 — the first of January

• March 15 — the fifteenth of March

• December 25 — the twenty-fifth of December

How to Say Years in English

Years are often pronounced differently from ordinary numbers.

For example:

• 1985 — nineteen eighty-five

• 1999 — nineteen ninety-nine

• 2000 — two thousand

• 2005 — two thousand five

• 2010 — twenty ten

• 2024 — twenty twenty-four

• 2026 — twenty twenty-six

For years from 2001 to 2009, forms such as two thousand one and two thousand nine are common.

For years from 2010 onward, forms such as twenty ten, twenty twenty, and twenty twenty-six are widely used.

Centuries

Ordinal numbers are also used when talking about centuries.

For example:

• 18th century — eighteenth century

• 19th century — nineteenth century

• 20th century — twentieth century

• 21st century — twenty-first century

Remember that the century number is usually one higher than the first two digits of most years within that century. For example, the year 1995 belongs to the 20th century, while 2026 belongs to the 21st century.

Learning to say dates and years correctly is especially useful when talking about birthdays, appointments, historical events, schedules, deadlines, and important occasions.

Time in English

Numbers are essential when telling the time in English. English speakers commonly use both the 12-hour clock and the 24-hour clock.

The 12-Hour Clock

The 12-hour clock divides the day into two periods:

• a.m. — from midnight to before noon

• p.m. — from noon to before midnight

For example:

When the time is exactly on the hour, we often use o’clock:

• 3:00 — three o’clock

• 6:00 — six o’clock

• 9:00 — nine o’clock

We do not normally use o’clock when minutes are included. For example, 3:20 is three twenty, not three twenty o’clock.

Past, To, Half, and Quarter

Another common way to tell time uses past and to.

Past describes minutes after the hour:

• 3:05 — five past three

• 4:10 — ten past four

• 6:20 — twenty past six

To describes the minutes before the next hour:

• 5:50 — ten to six

• 7:55 — five to eight

We also commonly use quarter and half:

• 2:15 — quarter past two

• 3:30 — half past three

• 4:45 — quarter to five

Saying Zero in Time

When reading a digital time, 0 between the hour and minutes can be pronounced oh.

For example:

• 8:05 — eight oh five

• 9:07 — nine oh seven

You can also say:

• 8:05 — five past eight

• 9:07 — seven past nine

The 24-Hour Clock

The 24-hour clock uses numbers from 00:00 to 23:59 and avoids the need for a.m. and p.m.

For example:

The 24-hour clock is commonly used for transportation schedules, timetables, healthcare, the military, and other situations where avoiding ambiguity is important.

For example:

The train departs at 18:30.

This means:

The train departs at 6:30 p.m.

In everyday conversation, people often convert a 24-hour time into its 12-hour equivalent rather than saying forms such as eighteen thirty.

Understanding how numbers are used to tell time will help you discuss schedules, appointments, working hours, travel plans, and everyday routines more confidently in English.

Money and Prices in English

Numbers are frequently used when talking about money, prices, salaries, bills, shopping, and financial transactions. The way we read a number often depends on the currency being used.

How to Read Prices in Dollars

The symbol $ represents dollars in currencies such as the U.S. dollar.

For example:

When an amount includes dollars and cents, we normally read both parts separately.

• $1.25 — one dollar and twenty-five cents

• $5.50 — five dollars and fifty cents

• $12.99 — twelve dollars and ninety-nine cents

• $50.75 — fifty dollars and seventy-five cents

• $100.25 — one hundred dollars and twenty-five cents

In everyday speech, the word and may be omitted:

$19.99 — nineteen dollars, ninety-nine cents

Reading Prices Informally

When the currency is already obvious from the context, speakers sometimes shorten prices.

For example:

How much is the book?

It’s twelve fifty.

Here, twelve fifty may mean $12.50 when both speakers already know they are talking about dollars.

Similarly:

• $5.99 — five ninety-nine

• $14.50 — fourteen fifty

• $29.95 — twenty-nine ninety-five

These shortened forms are common in everyday shopping conversations, but learners should also know the complete forms using dollars and cents.

Other Common Currencies

English is used with many different currencies around the world.

For British currency:

• £1 — one pound

• £5.50 — five pounds and fifty pence

• £20 — twenty pounds

For euros:

• €1 — one euro

• €25 — twenty-five euros

• €10.50 — ten euros and fifty cents

Large Amounts of Money

Large monetary amounts follow the same basic rules as other large numbers.

For example:

• $1,000 — one thousand dollars

• $25,000 — twenty-five thousand dollars

• $500,000 — five hundred thousand dollars

• $1 million — one million dollars

• $2.5 million — two point five million dollars

In informal English, K is sometimes used to represent thousand, especially when talking about salaries, prices, or online statistics.

For example:

• $50K — fifty thousand dollars

• $100K — one hundred thousand dollars

Money in Everyday Sentences

Here are some examples of numbers used with money:

• The coffee costs $4.50.

• I paid twenty dollars for the book.

• Her monthly rent is $1,500.

• The laptop costs about eight hundred dollars.

• The company earned two million dollars last year.

Learning how to read monetary amounts correctly makes shopping, traveling, banking, and discussing prices much easier in English.

Phone Numbers, Addresses, and Other Everyday Numbers

Numbers are also used in phone numbers, addresses, room numbers, identification numbers, transportation, and many other everyday situations. These numbers are not always pronounced in the same way as ordinary quantities.

Phone Numbers

Phone numbers are usually read digit by digit rather than as one large number.

For example:

555-274-8196

is normally read as:

five five five, two seven four, eight one nine six

The number 0 in a phone number is commonly pronounced zero or oh.

For example:

205

may be read as:

two zero five

or:

two oh five

In some varieties of English, repeated digits may also be expressed using double.

For example:

44 — double four
555 — triple five

However, reading each digit separately is always a clear option.

Addresses

Street numbers are often read differently depending on their size.

For example:

• 25 King Street — twenty-five King Street

• 150 Main Street — one hundred fifty Main Street

• 425 Oak Avenue — four hundred twenty-five Oak Avenue

• 1200 Park Road — twelve hundred Park Road

For some four-digit addresses, speakers may use hundreds rather than thousands.

For example:

1500 Main Street

may be pronounced:

fifteen hundred Main Street

Room and Apartment Numbers

Room, apartment, and unit numbers may be pronounced as complete numbers or as separate digits.

For example:

• Room 5 — room five

• Room 25 — room twenty-five

• Room 205 — room two oh five

• Apartment 12 — apartment twelve

• Unit 304 — unit three oh four

The exact pronunciation can depend on local usage and context.

Bus, Train, and Flight Numbers

Route and transportation numbers are also commonly read as individual numbers or short number groups.

For example:

• Bus 25 — bus twenty-five

• Train 108 — train one oh eight / train one hundred eight

• Flight 405 — flight four oh five

Identification and Reference Numbers

Account numbers, confirmation codes, PINs, order numbers, and similar numerical sequences are often read digit by digit because each digit is important.

For example:

Account number: 483027

can be read as:

four eight three zero two seven

Reading digits individually reduces the chance of misunderstanding the number.

Saying Zero in English

The number 0 can be pronounced in several ways depending on the context:

For English learners, zero is generally the safest form when you are unsure. As you become more familiar with different contexts, forms such as oh, nil, and love become easier to recognize.

Understanding these different ways of reading numbers is useful when giving contact information, checking into a hotel, traveling, placing an order, or communicating important numerical information.

Conclusion

Learning numbers in English is an essential part of communicating clearly and confidently. Numbers appear everywhere—from everyday conversations and shopping to dates, time, measurements, mathematics, and financial information.

In this guide, you learned how to use and read:

• cardinal and ordinal numbers

• numbers from basic to large values

• fractions, decimals, and percentages

• mathematical operations

• dates and years

• time

• money and prices

• phone numbers and addresses

• measurements and temperatures

The best way to become comfortable with English numbers is through regular practice. Try reading prices aloud when shopping, saying dates and times in English, writing large numbers in words, and practicing numbers you encounter in everyday life.

If you’re still learning the basics, continue with our Numbers 1 to 100 guide to practice counting. You can also explore our guides on ordinal numbers, writing numbers in English, and mathematical symbols to develop your skills further.

With regular practice, reading, writing, and saying numbers in English will become faster and more natural.

FAQs About Numbers in English

What are numbers in English?

Numbers in English are words and symbols used to express quantities, positions, measurements, dates, time, money, and other numerical information. Examples include one, twenty-five, first, 1/2, 2.5, and 50%.

What are the two main types of numbers in English?

Two important types are cardinal numbers and ordinal numbers. Cardinal numbers show quantity, such as one, two, and three. Ordinal numbers show position or order, such as first, second, and third.

How do you write numbers from 21 to 99 in English?

Compound numbers from 21 to 99 are normally hyphenated when they are not exact multiples of ten. For example, 21 is twenty-one, 45 is forty-five, and 99 is ninety-nine.

How do you read large numbers in English?

Divide large numbers into groups of three digits from right to left and identify the thousands, millions, billions, and trillions. For example, 2,500,000 is read as two million five hundred thousand.

How do you read decimals in English?

Say the whole-number part first, then point, followed by each digit after the decimal point individually. For example, 3.75 is read as three point seven five.

How do you read fractions in English?

The numerator is usually read as a cardinal number and the denominator as an ordinal number. For example, 1/3 is one-third and 2/3 is two-thirds. Common forms such as 1/2 and 1/4 are usually read as one-half and one-quarter.

How do you say 0 in English?

The number 0 is normally called zero, but its pronunciation can change depending on context. For example, 0.5 is zero point five, while the zero in a phone number or time such as 8:05 may be pronounced oh.

Is 1,000 “one thousand” or “a thousand”?

Both forms are correct. One thousand is useful when stating a number precisely, while a thousand is also common in everyday English.

How do you say 2026 in English?

As a year, 2026 is commonly pronounced twenty twenty-six. It can also be read as two thousand twenty-six, although twenty twenty-six is a very natural form for the year.

What is the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers?

Cardinal numbers answer “How many?”, while ordinal numbers answer “Which position?” For example, five students uses a cardinal number, while the fifth student uses an ordinal number.

Continue learning about numbers with these related English lessons:

• Numbers 1 to 100: Learn How to Count in English — Learn the numbers from one to one hundred and practice counting correctly in English.

• How to Write Numbers in English — Learn how to write numbers correctly in words and understand important number-writing rules.

• Ordinal Numbers in English — Learn how to form and use first, second, third, and other ordinal numbers.

• Basic and Important Math Symbols in English — Learn the names and meanings of common mathematical symbols and how to read them in English.