Ordinal Numbers in English: Rules, Examples, and List

Ordinal numbers in English are used to show the position, order, or rank of something in a sequence. Words such as first, second, third, fourth, and fifth are ordinal numbers. We use them every day when talking about dates, rankings, floors, competitions, anniversaries, chapters, and many other situations.

For example, if Sarah finishes a race before everyone else, she comes first. If your apartment is on level five of a building, you live on the fifth floor. In these examples, first and fifth tell us the position of a person or thing rather than how many there are.

Ordinal numbers can be written in words, such as first and twentieth, or with numerals and suffixes, such as 1st and 20th. Although most ordinal numbers follow simple patterns, some forms—especially first, second, and third—need to be learned separately.

In this guide, you will learn what ordinal numbers are, how to form and write them correctly, the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers, and how to use them in everyday English. You will also find useful ordinal number lists, rules, examples, and sentences to make learning them easier.

What Are Ordinal Numbers in English?

Ordinal numbers are numbers that show the position, order, or rank of a person or thing in a sequence. Instead of telling us how many things there are, ordinal numbers tell us where something appears in an ordered group.

For example:

• First (1st) – position number one

• Second (2nd) – position number two

• Third (3rd) – position number three

• Fourth (4th) – position number four

• Fifth (5th) – position number five

Consider these examples:

• Ali finished first in the race.

• This is my second cup of coffee today.

• She lives on the third floor.

• Our team came fourth in the competition.

• His birthday is on the fifth of May.

In each sentence, the ordinal number tells us the position or order of someone or something.

Ordinal Numbers in Words and Numerals

Ordinal numbers can be written in two common ways:

The endings -st, -nd, -rd, and -th are called ordinal suffixes. Most ordinal numerals use -th, but there are important rules and exceptions that we will cover later in this guide.

A simple way to remember the meaning of ordinal numbers is:

Cardinal numbers tell us “how many,” while ordinal numbers tell us “which position.”

For example, There are five runners uses the cardinal number five. Maria is the fifth runner uses the ordinal number fifth because it identifies her position.

Ordinal Numbers Examples

Ordinal numbers appear frequently in everyday English. They can describe positions, dates, rankings, floors, chapters, anniversaries, centuries, and the order in which events happen.

Here are some common examples:

Common Uses of Ordinal Numbers

We use ordinal numbers in many different situations.

1. Position and rank

Ordinal numbers can show where someone or something stands in a competition, list, or sequence.

• James came first in the competition.

• Our team finished second.

• She was the third person to arrive.

2. Dates

Ordinal numbers are commonly used when dates are spoken.

• My birthday is on the twelfth of March.

• The meeting is on the twenty-first of September.

• They arrived on the third of July.

3. Floors of buildings

Ordinal numbers can identify the level of a building.

• Her office is on the fourth floor.

• We live on the seventh floor.

4. Chapters and sections

They can indicate the order of parts of a book, course, or document.

• Read the second chapter tonight.

• The answer appears in the fifth section.

5. Anniversaries and birthdays

Ordinal numbers are also used to describe recurring events.

• They celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary.

• The company is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary.

These examples show an important feature of ordinal numbers: they answer questions such as “Which one?”, “What position?”, or “In what order?”

Ordinal Numbers 1 to 20

The first 20 ordinal numbers are important to learn because they form the foundation for larger ordinal numbers. Some have irregular spellings, while others are formed by adding -th to the cardinal number.

Here is a complete list of ordinal numbers from 1st to 20th:

Important Spellings to Remember

Most ordinal numbers are easy to form, but several have spelling changes that English learners should remember:

• one → first, not oneth

• two → second, not twoth

• three → third, not threeth

• five → fifth, not fiveth

• eight → eighth, not eightth

• nine → ninth, not nineth

• twelve → twelfth, not twelveth

• twenty → twentieth, not twentyth

The first three ordinal numbers are especially important because they use unique forms:

1 → first → 1st
2 → second → 2nd
3 → third → 3rd

After these, most numbers use the -th ending, such as fourth (4th), sixth (6th), tenth (10th), and nineteenth (19th).

Learning these first 20 forms makes it much easier to understand how larger ordinal numbers are created.

Ordinal Numbers 1 to 100

Once you know the basic ordinal numbers, forming larger ones becomes easier. For compound numbers such as twenty-one, thirty-two, and ninety-three, only the last part of the number changes to the ordinal form.

For example:

• twenty-one → twenty-first

• thirty-two → thirty-second

• forty-three → forty-third

• fifty-four → fifty-fourth

Here is the complete list of ordinal numbers from 1 to 100.

Pattern of Ordinal Numbers from 21 to 99

For compound numbers, the cardinal form of the tens stays the same, while the final number becomes ordinal.

For example:

21 → twenty-first
32 → thirty-second
43 → forty-third
54 → fifty-fourth
65 → sixty-fifth
76 → seventy-sixth
87 → eighty-seventh
98 → ninety-eighth

Notice that compound ordinal numbers written in words are normally hyphenated, just like their corresponding compound cardinal numbers.

Ordinal Numbers Ending in 1, 2, and 3

Numbers ending in 1, 2, or 3 usually take st, nd, or rd:

• 21 → 21st

• 32 → 32nd

• 43 → 43rd

• 51 → 51st

• 72 → 72nd

• 93 → 93rd

However, 11, 12, and 13 are exceptions:

• 11 → 11th, not 11st

• 12 → 12th, not 12nd

• 13 → 13th, not 13rd

The same rule applies to larger numbers ending in 11, 12, or 13, such as 111th, 112th, and 113th.

How to Write Ordinal Numbers in English

Ordinal numbers can be written either as words or as numerals with ordinal suffixes. For example, the ordinal number first can be written as first or 1st, while twenty-third can be written as 23rd.

The four ordinal suffixes used in English are:

1. Use -st for Numbers Ending in 1

Most numbers whose final digit is 1 use the suffix -st.

• 1 → 1st → first

• 21 → 21st → twenty-first

• 31 → 31st → thirty-first

• 101 → 101st → one hundred first

However, numbers ending in 11 use -th, not -st:

• 11 → 11th

• 111 → 111th

• 211 → 211th

2. Use -nd for Numbers Ending in 2

Most numbers whose final digit is 2 use -nd.

• 2 → 2nd → second

• 22 → 22nd → twenty-second

• 42 → 42nd → forty-second

• 102 → 102nd → one hundred second

The exception is a number ending in 12, which takes -th:

• 12 → 12th

• 112 → 112th

• 212 → 212th

3. Use -rd for Numbers Ending in 3

Most numbers whose final digit is 3 use -rd.

• 3 → 3rd → third

• 23 → 23rd → twenty-third

• 43 → 43rd → forty-third

• 103 → 103rd → one hundred third

Numbers ending in 13 are exceptions and take -th:

• 13 → 13th

• 113 → 113th

• 213 → 213th

4. Use -th for Most Other Numbers

Most ordinal numbers use the suffix -th.

Examples include:

• 4 → 4th → fourth

• 5 → 5th → fifth

• 6 → 6th → sixth

• 7 → 7th → seventh

• 8 → 8th → eighth

• 9 → 9th → ninth

• 10 → 10th → tenth

• 20 → 20th → twentieth

• 50 → 50th → fiftieth

• 100 → 100th → hundredth

Remember the 11th, 12th, and 13th Rule

One of the most common mistakes is choosing the suffix only from the final digit. Before doing that, check whether the number ends in 11, 12, or 13.

These numbers always use -th:

11th — eleventh
12th — twelfth
13th — thirteenth

This rule continues with larger numbers:

111th — one hundred eleventh
112th — one hundred twelfth
113th — one hundred thirteenth

For example, 21st is correct because the number ends in 21, but 11th is correct even though its final digit is 1.

Writing Compound Ordinal Numbers

When a compound number is written in words, only the final part changes to its ordinal form.

• 21 → twenty-one → twenty-first

• 42 → forty-two → forty-second

• 53 → fifty-three → fifty-third

• 67 → sixty-seven → sixty-seventh

• 99 → ninety-nine → ninety-ninth

Compound ordinal numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine are normally written with a hyphen.

Correct: twenty-first
Incorrect: twenty first

Correct: sixty-third
Incorrect: sixty third

These rules make it possible to write almost any ordinal number correctly once you know the basic ordinal forms.

Rules for Forming Ordinal Numbers

Most ordinal numbers follow predictable patterns, but some have irregular forms or spelling changes. Understanding these rules makes it easier to convert cardinal numbers such as one, two, and twenty into ordinal numbers such as first, second, and twentieth.

1. First, Second, and Third Are Irregular

The first three ordinal numbers do not follow the usual -th pattern. Their forms must be learned separately.

For example:

• Emma was the first student to arrive.

• This is my second visit to London.

• He finished third in the competition.

2. Most Ordinal Numbers Add -th

For many numbers, the ordinal form is created by adding -th to the cardinal number.

Examples:

• Today is her fourth day at work.

• This is the sixth lesson.

• He finished in tenth place.

3. Some Numbers Change Their Spelling

Several cardinal numbers undergo spelling changes when they become ordinal numbers.

Pay particular attention to these forms:

five → fifth
The ve changes to f before -th.

eight → eighth
Only one t is used: eighth, not eightth.

nine → ninth
The final e disappears.

twelve → twelfth
The ve changes to f.

4. Multiples of Ten Ending in -y Change to -ieth

When cardinal numbers such as twenty, thirty, and forty become ordinal numbers, the final -y changes to -ie before -th is added.

For example:

• This is the twentieth lesson.

• They celebrated their fiftieth anniversary.

• She finished in eightieth place.

5. In Compound Numbers, Only the Last Number Becomes Ordinal

When a number contains more than one part, only the final part normally changes to the ordinal form.

For example:

Therefore:

21st = twenty-first, not twentieth-first

32nd = thirty-second, not thirtieth-second

43rd = forty-third, not fortieth-third

6. Whole Hundreds and Thousands Take an Ordinal Ending

When a whole hundred or thousand represents the ordinal position, the final number word becomes ordinal.

• 100th → one hundredth

• 200th → two hundredth

• 500th → five hundredth

• 1,000th → one thousandth

• 10,000th → ten thousandth

• 1,000,000th → one millionth

When additional numbers follow the hundred or thousand, the final part becomes ordinal instead.

For example:

• 101st → one hundred first

• 125th → one hundred twenty-fifth

• 1,001st → one thousand first

• 2,023rd → two thousand twenty-third

In British English, and is commonly included after hundred or thousand where appropriate, for example, one hundred and first and one hundred and twenty-fifth.

Quick Rule to Remember

When writing ordinal numerals, remember:

1 → st
2 → nd
3 → rd
Most other numbers → th

But always check the last two digits first. Numbers ending in 11, 12, and 13 take -th:

• 11th

• 12th

• 13th

• 111th

• 112th

• 113th

Once these basic patterns and exceptions are familiar, forming ordinal numbers in English becomes much easier.