Vocabulary · Basics
Ordinal numbers and fractions in English
A2
Ordinal numbers and fractions in English: first, second and third up to thirtieth, halves, thirds and quarters, dates and centuries, and the words for rankings and medals. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
Ordinal numbers 1st to 10th
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| first (1st)(num.)“The first day.” | number 1 in order | /fɜːst/ |
| second (2nd)(num.) | number 2 in order | /ˈsekənd/ |
| third (3rd)(num.) | number 3 in order | /θɜːd/ |
| fourth (4th)(num.) | number 4 in order | /fɔːθ/ |
| fifth (5th)(num.) | number 5 in order | /fɪfθ/ |
| sixth (6th)(num.) | number 6 in order | /sɪksθ/ |
| seventh (7th)(num.) | number 7 in order | /ˈsevnθ/ |
| eighth (8th)(num.) | number 8 in order | /eɪtθ/ |
| ninth (9th)(num.)“No "e"! Ninth, not nineth.” | number 9 in order | /naɪnθ/ |
| tenth (10th)(num.) | number 10 in order | /tenθ/ |
Ordinal numbers 11th to 30th
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| eleventh (11th)(num.) | number 11 in order | /ɪˈlevnθ/ |
| twelfth (12th)(num.)“Note: "twelfth", not "twelveth".” | number 12 in order | /twelfθ/ |
| thirteenth (13th)(num.) | number 13 in order | /ˌθɜːˈtiːnθ/ |
| fourteenth (14th)(num.) | number 14 in order | /ˌfɔːˈtiːnθ/ |
| twentieth (20th)(num.)“Twenty → twentieth (y → ie).” | number 20 in order | /ˈtwentiəθ/ |
| twenty-first (21st)(num.) | number 21 in order | /ˌtwenti ˈfɜːst/ |
| thirtieth (30th)(num.) | number 30 in order | /ˈθɜːtiəθ/ |
Common fractions
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| a half (1/2)(num.)“Half an hour.” | one of two equal parts | /ə hɑːf/ |
| a third (1/3)(num.) | one of three equal parts | /ə θɜːd/ |
| a quarter (1/4)(num.) | one of four equal parts | /ə ˈkwɔːtə/ |
| a fifth (1/5)(num.) | one of five equal parts | /ə fɪfθ/ |
| two thirds (2/3)(num.)“Numerator + ordinal + s.” | two of three equal parts | /tuː θɜːdz/ |
| three quarters (3/4)(num.) | three of four equal parts | /θriː ˈkwɔːtəz/ |
| one and a half (1.5)(num.)“1.5 = one and a half (or one point five).” | the number 1.5 | /wʌn ənd ə hɑːf/ |
Dates and centuries
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| the 1st of May(phrase)“UK: the 1st of May. US: May 1st.” | the date of day 1 in May | /ðə fɜːst əv meɪ/ |
| the 21st century(phrase) | the years 2001 to 2100 | /ðə ˌtwenti ˈfɜːst ˈsentʃəri/ |
| the 18th century(phrase) | the years 1701 to 1800 | /ði ˌeɪˈtiːnθ ˈsentʃəri/ |
Rankings
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| first prize(phrase)“She won first prize.” | what the winner of a competition gets | /fɜːst praɪz/ |
| in second place(phrase) | just behind the winner | /ɪn ˈsekənd pleɪs/ |
| the gold medal (1st)(phrase) | the Olympic prize for the winner | /ðə ɡəʊld ˈmedl/ |
| the silver medal (2nd)(phrase) | the Olympic prize for coming second | /ðə ˈsɪlvə ˈmedl/ |
| the bronze medal (3rd)(phrase) | the Olympic prize for coming third | /ðə brɒnz ˈmedl/ |
Common mistakes to avoid
Oneth and twoth ❌: the first three are irregular
First (1st), second (2nd) and third (3rd) are irregular. From 4, add -th: fourth, fifth, sixth… Learn the first three on their own. Be careful with 21, 22 and 23 too: twenty-first, twenty-second, twenty-third.
Nineth ❌: write ninth
The e of nine disappears: nine → ninth. Five changes too: fifth. With twelve, ve becomes f: twelfth, not twelveth.
Twentyth ❌: y becomes ie
For the tens, the -y becomes -ie before -th: twenty → twentieth, thirty → thirtieth, fifty → fiftieth.
Two third ❌: add -s after a number above 1
One third (1/3), but two thirds (2/3). When the top number is more than 1, the ordinal takes -s: three quarters (3/4), four fifths (4/5).
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you make ordinal numbers in English?+
Most ordinal numbers are number + -th: fourth, sixth, seventh. Three are irregular: first (1st), second (2nd) and third (3rd). Some change their spelling: fifth, eighth (only one t), ninth (no e), twelfth (ve becomes f) and twentieth (y becomes ie).
Is it ninth or nineth?+
It is ninth. The final e of nine disappears: nine → ninth. It is a spelling rule to learn by heart. With twelve, the ve becomes f: twelfth, not twelveth.
How do you write 20th, 30th and 40th in words?+
The -y becomes -ie, then you add -th: twenty → twentieth, thirty → thirtieth, forty → fortieth. The rule is the same for 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th and 90th.
How do you say fractions in English?+
Say the top number as a normal number, then the bottom number as an ordinal: one fifth (1/5), one tenth (1/10). Two fractions have their own word: a half (1/2) and a quarter (1/4). When the top number is more than 1, the ordinal takes -s: two thirds, three quarters.
How do you write ordinal numbers like 21st or 33rd?+
Only the last number becomes an ordinal, with a hyphen: 21st = twenty-first, 33rd = thirty-third, 102nd = one hundred and second. The two letters after the number copy the end of the word: first → 1st, second → 2nd, third → 3rd, fourth → 4th.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/ordinal-numbers-and-fractions
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.