Learn English Numbers and Money: A Beginner’s Guide
Welcome to your first steps in understanding English numbers and money! This lesson is perfect for beginners (A1 level) who want to learn essential vocabulary for everyday conversations. Knowing how to use numbers and talk about money is super important when you are learning English. Let’s get started and make learning fun and easy!
What are Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers?
In English, we use two main types of numbers: cardinal numbers and ordinal numbers. Don’t worry, it sounds complicated, but it’s very simple!
- Cardinal numbers are used for counting. They tell us “how many”. For example: one, two, three, four… We use cardinal numbers to count things like apples, books, or friends.
- Ordinal numbers are used to show position or order. They tell us “which position”. For example: first, second, third, fourth… We use ordinal numbers to talk about dates, races, or floors in a building.
Understanding both cardinal and ordinal numbers is key to improving your English vocabulary and speaking skills. This beginner’s guide will help you learn the basics.
Cardinal Numbers: Counting the Basics
Let’s start with cardinal numbers. These are the numbers you use most often for counting. Here are the basic cardinal numbers in English:
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Thirty
- Forty
- Fifty
- Sixty
- Seventy
- Eighty
- Ninety
- One hundred
- One thousand
Examples:
- I have two brothers.
- There are ten students in the class.
- The book costs twenty-five dollars.
When you count beyond twenty, you combine the tens and ones with a hyphen. For example: twenty-one, thirty-two, forty-three, and so on. This is important for English for beginners to grasp early on.
Ordinal Numbers: Putting Things in Order
Now, let’s learn about ordinal numbers. We use these to show the position of something. Here are the basic ordinal numbers:
- First (1st)
- Second (2nd)
- Third (3rd)
- Fourth (4th)
- Fifth (5th)
- Sixth (6th)
- Seventh (7th)
- Eighth (8th)
- Ninth (9th)
- Tenth (10th)
- Eleventh (11th)
- Twelfth (12th)
- Thirteenth (13th)
- Twentieth (20th)
- Thirtieth (30th)
- Hundredth (100th)
- Thousandth (1000th)
Notice how most ordinal numbers end in “-th“. The exceptions are first, second, and third. For numbers beyond twenty, you usually only change the last digit to the ordinal form, like twenty-first, thirty-second, etc. This is a key part of basic English vocabulary.
Examples:
- Today is the first of May.
- She came in second place in the race.
- This is my fifth time visiting this city.
Talking About Money in English
Understanding how to talk about money is very practical. Let’s learn some basic vocabulary for talking about money in English. We will focus on US dollars and cents as an example, but the principles are similar for other currencies.
- Dollar ($): The main unit of money in the USA.
- Cent (ยข): One hundred cents make one dollar.
When we say prices, we usually say the dollars first, then the cents. We use cardinal numbers to say the amounts.
Examples:
- $5.50 – We say: “Five dollars and fifty cents.”
- $10 – We say: “Ten dollars.” (or simply “Ten dollars even”)
- $0.75 – We say: “Seventy-five cents.” (or “Zero dollars and seventy-five cents” – less common for small amounts)
- $100 – We say: “One hundred dollars.”
When asking about prices, we often use the phrase: “How much is this?” or “How much does this cost?”
Example conversation:
You: Excuse me, how much is this book?
Shopkeeper: It’s twelve dollars and ninety-nine cents.
You: Okay, thank you.
Practicing these phrases will greatly improve your spoken English practice and confidence when dealing with money in English-speaking countries.
Let’s Practice!
Now it’s time to practice what you’ve learned! These exercises will help you improve English vocabulary related to numbers and money. Try to answer these questions. For some questions, think about English pronunciation tips for numbers as you say them aloud.
- Fill in the blank with the correct cardinal number word:
I have ______ (1) sister and ______ (3) brothers. - Write the ordinal form of the following numbers:
a) 2 – _______
b) 5 – _______
c) 10 – _______ - Write the following prices in words:
a) $7.25 – _______
b) $20.00 – _______
c) $0.50 – _______ - Imagine you are telling someone your birthday. Complete the sentence using an ordinal number:
My birthday is on the ______ of June. (Let’s say your birthday is June 21st) - Listen and write the number you hear: (Imagine someone says “Forty-six”)
_______
Answers to Practice Exercises
- Fill in the blank with the correct cardinal number word:
I have one sister and three brothers. - Write the ordinal form of the following numbers:
a) 2 – second
b) 5 – fifth
c) 10 – tenth - Write the following prices in words:
a) $7.25 – Seven dollars and twenty-five cents
b) $20.00 – Twenty dollars
c) $0.50 – Fifty cents - Imagine you are telling someone your birthday. Complete the sentence using an ordinal number:
My birthday is on the twenty-first of June. - Listen and write the number you hear: (Imagine someone says “Forty-six”)
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Great job! You’ve now learned the basics of English numbers and money! Keep practicing, and you’ll become more confident. To further improve your spoken English practice, especially with numbers and money, try using Lingofrnd.com. It’s an AI spoken English teacher that can help you practice these and many other topics in a fun and interactive way.
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