Did you know there are different types of numbers? Two common types are “cardinal numbers” and “ordinal numbers.” And even if you don’t know what these terms mean, you probably use both in your writing regularly. Let’s take a look at how to use cardinal and ordinal numbers.
Cardinal numbers are the numbers we count with and probably what you think of first when you hear the word “number.” For example, “one,” “two,” and “three” are all cardinal numbers.
You can write these numbers as either words (e.g., eight) or numerals (e.g., 8). Typically, in formal writing, you should write numbers up to ten as words and use numerals for larger values. However, different style guides have different rules on this, so make sure to check yours if you have one.
Ordinal numbers are used to rank or order things (e.g., first, second, third). This could include placement in a race or competition, or it could simply be the day of the month (e.g., December 1st).
Let’s take a look at the first few ordinal numbers to see how they work:
You’ll notice above that writing an ordinal number as a numeral involves adding the last two letters from the word (e.g. fourth = 4th). To know which letters to add, follow this guideline:
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
The only exceptions to this are “eleventh” (11th), “twelfth” (12th), and “thirteenth” (13th). In addition, any numeral that ends 11, 12, or 13 will end “th” when written as an ordinal number (e.g., 113th). We also have a few tips to share about how to write ordinal numbers in different situations:
Finally, you may also hear people mention “nominal” numbers. These include things like phone numbers, barcodes, and the numbers of the back of football players’ shirts: i.e., numbers that name or identify something. Nominal numbers are almost always written as numerals.
We can sum up cardinal and ordinal numbers as follows:
If you need help checking that you’ve used numbers correctly in your written work, moreover, get in touch with Proofed today.
Δ
2-minute read
If you’re writing about health issues, you might need to reference the Centers for Disease...
5-minute read
Introduction If you’re involved with ecommerce, you’re likely familiar with the often painstaking process of...
3-minute read
Are you interested in learning more about the role of a content editor and the...
4-minute read
Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...
Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...
No matter your industry, conducting market research helps you keep up to date with shifting...