It’s important to study numbers because no matter where you are, they’re a necessary and unavoidable part of life. This is especially true when it comes to buying things/shopping, telling time, reading calendars, and knowing how to communicate with others the concept of “how many/how much.”
If you plan on traveling to the United States or any other English-speaking country, it’s vital that you pick up at least the most basic numbers in English. From there, you can also begin learning how to write numbers in English as well as grasp the basics of the number system in English. Trust us, knowing these things will come in handy over and over again!
We hope to answer your questions and give you a good working knowledge of English numbers. For example, what are the numbers in English language? And what are the numbers in English grammar?
That said, let EnglishClass101.com guide you through English numbers, from numbers in English 1 to 100 and beyond. We’ll also show you these English numbers in words as well as how to pronounce numbers in English, so you have a full-encompassing knowledge on the topic. Learning numbers in English is one of the most valuable things you’ll do with your time as an English learner, so let’s get started with the numbers in English 0-10!
Table of Contents
- English Numbers 0-9
- English Numbers 10-100
- English Numbers up to 1000
- How to Give Your Phone Number in English
- Shopping: How to Use Numbers When Shopping
- Conclusion
1. English Numbers 0-9
To learn English numbers, the first ones you’ll need to learn are 0-9. From these basic numbers, you can ultimately build and expand to make any number. Here’s a basic cardinal numbers list in English, along with how to write the numbers in English:
- 0 – zero
- 1- one
- 2 – two
- 3 – three
- 4 – four
- 5 – five
- 6 – six
- 7 – seven
- 8 – eight
- 9 – nine
2. English Numbers 10-100
1- By Tens
Next, we’ll learn how to count by tens in English. This is a simple way to count up to larger numbers from 10 to 100. Afterward, we’ll teach you how to form all of the numbers in-between (it’s easy once you get the hang of it!). For now, here are numbers from 10-100 by tens:
- 10 – ten
- 20 – twenty
- 30 – thirty
- 40 – forty
- 50 – fifty
- 60 – sixty
- 70 – seventy
- 80 – eighty
- 90 – ninety
- 100 – one-hundred
Once you have these memorized, you’ll find that counting by tens will become more and more simple. Now, let’s learn something a little trickier: how to form and write all of the English numbers in-between.
2- The Numbers In-between
To make any of the numbers in-between, you simply use the formula: Tens Number + Number from 0-9. For example, the number 47 would be said “forty-seven,” and the number 83 would be “eighty-three.”
Here’s a numbers in English exercise to test your understanding and help you to incorporate numbers in English grammar. Choose the correct reciprocal for each number below:
- 26
- Sixty-two
- Thirty-six
- Twenty-six
- Forty-nine
- 95
- Ninety-five
- Fifty-nine
- Sixty-five
- Fifty-six
- 52
- Sixty-four
- Fifty-two
- Thirty-two
- Twenty-five
- Seventy-eight
- 87
- 68
- 78
- 88
Here are the correct answers:
- 26 = Twenty-six
- 95 = Ninety-five
- 52 = Fifty-two
- Seventy-eight = 78
1. Special Cases
The rule we mentioned above applies to most numbers between 10-100. However, from number 11-19, the rule changes and (unfortunately) is not consistent across each of these numbers.
Here’s what we mean:
- 11 – eleven
12 – twelve
As you can see, the numbers 11 and 12 are spelled very differently from any other number. Perhaps a good way to remember these is to think about elves when counting just after 10, as those same letters are used in both words. Plus, the “1”s kind of look like pointy elf ears. Just a fun idea. 🙂
The rest of the numbers up to 20 follow a pretty similar pattern as follows:
- 13- thirteen
- 14 – fourteen
- 15 – fifteen
- 16 – sixteen
- 17 – seventeen
- 18 – eighteen
- 19 – nineteen
With the exception of thirteen and fifteen, each of these numbers is Number 0-9 + “Teen.”
Thirteen ends the same way, but begins with “Thir” instead of “Three,” as in the word “Third.”
And fifteen also ends the same way, but begins with “Fif” instead of “Five,” as in the word “Fifth.”
These special cases aside, every other number from 10-100 follows the exact same pattern as laid out above.
3. English Numbers up to 1000
Are you ready to learn how to count big numbers in English? Let’s go over how to read and write numbers up to 1000. Once you have this mastered, you’ll have an easier time mastering the numbers 1000 to 2000 in English, all the way up to one-hundred thousand, and beyond (even though we won’t be going into that in this article). So let’s go ahead and start learning to count by hundreds.
1- By Hundreds
- 100 – one-hundred
- 200 – two-hundred
- 300 – three-hundred
- 400 – four-hundred
- 500 – five-hundred
- 600 – six-hundred
- 700 – seven-hundred
- 800 – eight-hundred
- 900 – nine-hundred
- 1000 – one-thousand
2: To Make Numbers In-between
To make any number in-between the hundreds, simply use the formula: Hundreds Number and Tens Number (+ Number from 0-9). For example, the number 827 would be said “eight-hundred and twenty-seven” and the number 203 would be said “two-hundred and three.”
Here’s another numbers in English exercise to help you test your understanding. Choose the correct reciprocal for each number:
- 143
- Three-hundred and Forty-one
- One-hundred and Forty-three
- Four-hundred and Thirteen
- Four-hundred and Thirty-one
- 937
- Nine-hundred and Thirty-seven
- Nine-hundred and Seventy-three
- Seven-hundred and Ninety-seven
- Three-hundred and Seventy-nine
- 728
- Eight-hundred and Seventy-two
- Seven-hundred and Twenty-eight
- Seven-hundred and Eighty-two
- Two-hundred and Eighty-seven
- Three-hundred and Fifty-four
- 543
- 453
- 345
- 354
Here are the answers:
- 143 = One-hundred and Forty-three
- 937 = Nine-hundred and Thirty-seven
- 728 = Seven-hundred and Twenty-eight
- Three-hundred and Fifty-four = 354
How did you do? This can be confusing at first, so if you need to review this section before moving on, there’s nothing wrong with that. Because next we’ll be going over how to give your phone number in English!
4. How to Give Your Phone Number in English
In the United States, phone numbers consist of three groups as follows: (xxx) xxx-xxxx where the numbers in parentheses are the “area code” which indicates where in the United States someone lives. For example, someone may tell you their phone number is (360) 111-2222.
Different people say their phone number aloud differently, with some choosing to do it number-by-number and others grouping the numbers however they see easiest. One important thing to note is that regardless of how they group/say the number, most people pause for a second or two after saying the area code, and then where the dash is.
1- Number by Number
In the above example number, the person would say it as follows: (three-six-zero) one-one-one – two-two-two-two.
You may find number-by-number the easiest way to both give and receive someone’s number due to its simplicity.
2- Grouped
Typically, when people give their phone number by group, it will sound something like this based on the above example: (three-six-zero) one-eleven – twenty-two twenty-two.
Also keep in mind that many people, instead of saying “zero” simply call this number “O” for short. So instead, it may sound like this: (three-six-o) one-eleven – twenty-two twenty-two.
Also, some people refrain from giving their area code, and simply give you the xxx-xxxx part of the number (it’s not usually necessary to give the area code if most of your friends live in the same area as you). If you do need their area code, you can simply ask for it.
5. Shopping: How to Use Numbers When Shopping
1- Prices
Using the example above, let’s say you’re at the mall purchasing a new shirt. The cashier may tell you, “That amounts to twelve dollars and ninety-nine cents.” You’ll know that this means the shirt costs $12.99.
If you want to know how much something costs, you can ask “How much does this cost?” and you’ll be given an answer as in the format above.
Also keep in mind that bartering isn’t very common in the United States, unless you’re shopping someplace that’s run by an individual (say, a local farmers’ market instead of a large chain store). So asking for a reduced price isn’t that common.
2- Counting
When shopping, you use counting more often than you’d think. Typically, this will be used either if you’re asking for a certain amount or portion of something, or if you’re telling someone you have that amount or portion of it.
1.) Let’s say you’re at the butcher and need 2 pounds of beef. You can say, “Can I please have two pounds of beef?”
2.) You’re at the checkout line at the grocery store and have something very heavy in your cart that you can’t lift onto the conveyor belt. You can tell the cashier, “I have one [item] in my cart,” so that they’ll know it’s there and can scan it. (You can also give the hand sign for “one” while saying this.)
6. Conclusion
We went over a lot of numbers, rules, and additional information on how to learn numbers in English as well as how to use them. A lot. But we hope that you enjoyed the learning process and really did get a better understanding of English numbers in this English lesson. You’ll definitely be glad to have this information when you visit (or move to!) the United States.
So, what did you learn about numbers in English vocabulary? Let us know!
If you want even more information and guidance for your English-learning journey, be sure to visit us at EnglishClass101.com. We offer an array of helpful blog posts, free vocabulary lists, and even an online community where you can discuss lessons with fellow students. And if you prefer a one-on-one learning approach, you can download our MyTeacher app and get your very own English teacher.
In the meantime, be sure to keep studying numbers in English as well as the number system in English (especially when it comes to those pesky “teen” numbers). Numbers in English writing can be difficult, but with enough practice and determination, you’ll be counting to 1000 in English and making in-person transactions like a boss! Good luck!
