NUMERALS AND DATES

Cardinal numbers (one, two,... a hundred)

When writing in words or reading, a number composed of three or more figures we place and before the word denoting tens or units:

713 seven hundred and thirteen5,102 five thousand, one hundred and two but6,100 six thousand, one hundred (no tens or

units)320,410 three hundred and twenty thousand,

four hundred and ten

Indefinite article a is more usual than one before hundred, thousand, million, etc. when

these numbers stand alone or begin an expression:

100 a hundred1,000 a thousand

100, 000 a hundred thousand

We can also say a hundred and one, a hundred and two etc. up to a hundred and

ninety-nine and a thousand and one etc. up to a thousand and ninety-nine. Otherwise we use

one, not a:1,040 a/one thousand and forty but

1,140 one thousand, one hundred and forty

The words hundred, thousand, million and dozen, when used with a definite number, are

never made plural:six hundred men ten thousand pounds

two dozen eggs

NOT six hundreds men

If however, these words are used loosely, just meaning a large number, they must be made

plural:hundreds of people thousands of birds

dozens of timesIn this case the preposition of is placed after

hundreds, thousands etc.Of is not used with definite numbers except

before the/them/these/those or possessives:six of the blue ones ten of these

four of Tom's brothers

Decimals are indicated by '.' which is read 'point':

10.92 ten point nine twoA zero after a decimal point is usually read

'nought':8.04 eight point nought four

But 'o' /əu/ and 'zero' would also be possible.

Ordinal numbers (first, second,... hundredth)

When writing in words or reading fractions other than 1/2 (a half) and 1/4 (a quarter), we use a combination of cardinal and ordinal numbers:

1/5 a/one fifth 1/10 a/one tenth (a is more usual than one)

3/5 three fifths 7/10 seven tenths

1/2 (half) can be followed directly by a noun but other fractions require of before a noun:

half a second but a quarter of a secondHalf + of can also be used, but the of is

optional:Half (of) my earnings go in tax.

Points to notice about ordinal numbersNotice the irregular spelling of fifth,eighth, ninth

and twelfth.When ordinal numbers are expressed in figures

the last two letters of the written word must be added (except in dates):first=1st twenty-first = 21st

Second=2nd forty-second = 42nd

Third= 3rd sixty-third = 63rd

Fourth = 4th eightieth = 80th

In compound ordinal numbers the rule about and is the same as for compound cardinal

numbers: 101st = the hundred and first.The article the normally comes before ordinal

numbers:the sixtieth day the fortieth visitor

Titles of kings etc. are written in Roman figures: Charles V James III Elizabeth IIBut in spoken English we use the ordinal

numbers preceded by the:Charles the Fifth James the Third

Elizabeth the Second

DatesDays and months are always written with capital

letters. Dates are expressed by ordinal numbers, so

when speaking we say:March the tenth, July the fourteenth etc or the

tenth of March etcThey can, however, be written in a variety of ways; e.g. March the tenth could be written:March 10 10 March 10th of March

March 10th 10th March March the 10th

The yearWhen reading or speaking we use the term hundred but not thousand. The year 1987

would be read as nineteen hundred and eighty-seven or nineteen eighty-seven.

Years before the Christian era are followed by the letters BC (= before Christ) and years

dating from the Christian era are sometimes preceded by the letters AD (=Anno Domini, in

the year of the Lord). 1500 BC would be read as either one

thousand five hundred BC or fifteen hundred BC

Vežbe:Write the numerals and dates.

1. 12th October 1492 ____________________2. 13th April 1969_______________________ 3. 6th March 1876 _______________________ 4. 8,454 km ___________________________ 5. 206 ________________________________ 6. 822 ________________________________ 7. 824 ________________________________ 8. 5,895 ______________________________ 9. 19,888,000 __________________________ 10. 20th July 1961 ______________________

Choose the correct answer to the questions.1. How far is New York from Buenos Aires?

8,454 5,496 10 6002. When did Neil Armstrong first walk on the Moon?

12th Apr 1961 20th Jul 1969 6th March 18763. How many bones are there in human body?

206 824 8224. What is the population of Australia?

824 822 19,888,0005. When did Christopher Columbus reach West Indies?

12th Oct 1492 6th March 1872 20th Apr 19686. How high is Mount Kilimanjaro?

5,895 8,454 2,5677. When did Yuri Gagarin first go to space?

12th Apr 1961 20th Oct 1969 12th Oct 1492

8. What is 477 + 345?824 822 206

9. When was the first phone call made?12th Apr 1961 6th March 1876 20th Jul 1969

10. What is 1,568-744?824 822 356