🌟 What are ordinal numbers?
Ordinal numbers tell us the position of something in a list or a group.
For example, imagine a school race:
🥇 First – The winner!
🥈 Second – The child who finishes next.
🥉 Third – The child who finishes after the second.
Ordinal numbers help us know who or what comes first, second, third, and so on.
📋 The first 31 ordinal numbers
Here is a list of the first 31 ordinal numbers in British English.
Number | Ordinal number | Short form |
|---|---|---|
1 | First | 1st |
2 | Second | 2nd |
3 | Third | 3rd |
4 | Fourth | 4th |
5 | Fifth | 5th |
6 | Sixth | 6th |
7 | Seventh | 7th |
8 | Eighth | 8th |
9 | Ninth | 9th |
10 | Tenth | 10th |
11 | Eleventh | 11th |
12 | Twelfth | 12th |
13 | Thirteenth | 13th |
14 | Fourteenth | 14th |
15 | Fifteenth | 15th |
16 | Sixteenth | 16th |
17 | Seventeenth | 17th |
18 | Eighteenth | 18th |
19 | Nineteenth | 19th |
20 | Twentieth | 20th |
21 | Twenty-first | 21st |
22 | Twenty-second | 22nd |
23 | Twenty-third | 23rd |
24 | Twenty-fourth | 24th |
25 | Twenty-fifth | 25th |
26 | Twenty-sixth | 26th |
27 | Twenty-seventh | 27th |
28 | Twenty-eighth | 28th |
29 | Twenty-ninth | 29th |
30 | Thirtieth | 30th |
31 | Thirty-first | 31st |
✏️ 1. The first three ordinal numbers
The first three ordinal numbers are special. They do not follow the usual spelling rule, so we need to learn them by heart.
First (1st) → The number one in a position.
Second (2nd) → The number two in a position.
Third (3rd) → The number three in a position.
💡 Remember: First, second and third are the first three places in a race!
Example:
I am first in the race! 🏃♂️
✏️ 2. From fourth to tenth
Most ordinal numbers from fourth to tenth end in -th.
Look at these examples:
Number | Ordinal |
|---|---|
Four | Fourth |
Six | Sixth |
Seven | Seventh |
Ten | Tenth |
There are a few spelling changes to remember:
Five → Fifth
Eight → Eighth
Nine → Ninth
🌈 Little tip: Read the words aloud and practise writing them. The more you practise, the easier they become!
✏️ 3. Ordinal numbers from eleventh to nineteenth
Most numbers from 11 to 19 use the ending -th.
Examples:
Eleven → Eleventh
Thirteen → Thirteenth
Fourteen → Fourteenth
Nineteen → Nineteenth
⚠️ Watch out for number 12!
Twelve becomes Twelfth, not “Twelveth”.
My birthday is on the twelfth of June. 🎂
✏️ 4. Ordinal numbers from twentieth to thirty-first
The ordinal form of 20 is Twentieth.
For numbers such as 21, 22 and 23, we change only the last part of the number into an ordinal number.
Number | Ordinal |
|---|---|
Twenty-one | Twenty-first |
Twenty-two | Twenty-second |
Twenty-three | Twenty-third |
Twenty-four | Twenty-fourth |
The same rule works with 31:
Thirty-one → Thirty-first
💡 Remember: In numbers such as 21st and 31st, only the last number changes.
🎂 When do we use ordinal numbers?
We use ordinal numbers in everyday life. Let's look at three fun examples!
🏃♀️ 1. In a race
I came first in the race!
We use ordinal numbers to say where we finish in a race or competition.
🎂 2. On birthdays
My birthday is on the fifth of May.
In British English, we use ordinal numbers when saying dates.
🏫 3. Talking about floors
My classroom is on the third floor.
We use ordinal numbers to say which floor a room is on.
❤️ Conclusion
Ordinal numbers are easy to learn when we use them in everyday situations, such as races, birthdays and school activities.
Remember: Practice makes perfect! 💪
Keep practising a little every day, and soon you will know all the ordinal numbers from 1st to 31st!
Well done, English learners!🌟
