Ordinal Numbers
A1 · BeginnerEnglish BasicsLearn how to say first, second, third and other numbers that show order.
What you'll learn
- The difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers
- Ordinal forms from 1st to 20th
- The -st / -nd / -rd / -th suffix pattern
- How ordinals are used in dates and rankings
Cardinal vs ordinal
Cardinal numbers
Tell us how many.
one, two, three
Ordinal numbers
Tell us the position or order.
first, second, third
I have three books. → how many
This is my third book. → which one
She has two children. → how many
Her second child is five. → which one
1st to 10th
Six of these are irregular — worth learning by heart rather than guessing.
11th to 20th
Most of these are just the cardinal number + "-th". Two stand out because they change more than that.
twelfth (not "twelveth") and twentieth (not "twentyth") are the two to watch.
21st and beyond
For compound numbers, normally only the final part becomes ordinal — the rest stays exactly as it is in the cardinal number.
-st, -nd, -rd, -th
General pattern, based on the last digit:
Important exceptions: 11th, 12th, 13th — not "11st", "12nd" or "13rd".
This isn't only an under-20 rule — it repeats at every hundred, too: 111th, 112th and 113th also take "-th", never "-st/-nd/-rd".
Real life
Rankings
"Emma finished first."
"Leo finished second."
"Mia finished third."
Floors
first floor · second floor · third floor
Floor numbering can differ between American and British usage — more on that in a later lesson.
Dates
June 1st · July 4th · October 21st
Ordinal numbers are used whenever a date is spoken out loud. A complete Dates in English lesson comes later.
Practice
Exercise 1 · Match the number to the ordinal
0 / 6 matched
Exercise 2 · Choose the correct form
Which ordinal form is correct for 21?
Exercise 3 · Correct suffix
What suffix completes 22?
What suffix completes 13?
What suffix completes 31?
What suffix completes 42?
What suffix completes 53?
What suffix completes 64?
What suffix completes 112?
Exercise 4 · Work out the ranking
Priya finished before Marcus, and Marcus finished before Jade. Complete: Marcus finished ___.
Exercise 5 · Choose the natural wording
You need to go to floor 21. Which sounds most natural?
Exercise 6 · Say the date aloud
Write how you'd say this date aloud, US style: May 23
Exercise 7 · Fix the spelling
Which spelling is correct?
Quick challenge
Five quick questions to check what stuck.
Question 1 / 5
Score: 0/0
1st = ?
You learned
- Cardinal numbers tell us how many.
- Ordinal numbers show position or order.
- First, second and third are irregular.
- 11, 12 and 13 use -th.
- Ordinal numbers are commonly used with dates.