Activity 13.05.2020

We use different words to describe numbers depending on how many digits
(numbers) they contain. We can also refer to the number of digits for simple
generalizations. For example, 10,000 is five digits, so we refer to it as in the tens of
thousands, but we may also call it a five-figure number.
Here are some of the ways we can describe numbers. Individual numbers will be
called by their name, for instance 4 is four, 13,425 is thirteen thousand four
hundred and 25. But they can also be grouped or generalized in a variety of ways.
For instance, 4 is also a single figure (or digit) number, and 13,425 is in the tens of
thousands.
This table shows how we can describe some groups of numbers as they increase
in size:
Number Name
13-19 teen
10 ten
100 hundred
1000 thousand
ten
10
thousand
hundred
100
thousand
1,000,000 million
1,000,000,000 billion
1,000,000,000,
trillion
000
In the past, there was a distinction between the American billion (1,000,000,000)
and the British or European billion (1,000,000,000,000 – now the trillion), but in
modern use the vast majority of the English speaking world has adopted the
American version.
SAYING A LARGE NUMBER
We say large numbers by listing the numbers in order of size, biggest first. When
reading a single number, all the number labels should be singular, for example
10,400 is ten thousand four hundred and not ten thousands four hundreds.
We describe three digit numbers in hundreds, then tens. Generally, in British
English we usually connect large numbers with double or single digit figures with
and, but in American English and is not used. Note that hundreds, thousands and
millions are not connected to each other with and, though.
987 nine hundred eighty-seven
Nine hundred AND eighty-seven.
For example:
345 is three hundred and forty-five (three hundred forty-five in American).
59,321 is fifty-nine thousand, three hundred twenty-one. (not fifty-nine thousand
and three hundred…)
You can then describe large numbers with a series of different figures, grouping
numbers in hundreds and tens, starting with the biggest number. So we describe
hundreds/tens of millions, then thousands, then hundreds:
1,345,612 = one million, three hundred forty-five thousand, six hundred twelve.
153,200 = one hundred fifty-three thousand, two hundred.
IN THE…
When we want to say where a number generally lies, in the above groups, we can
say it is in the… For example, 14 is in the teens, 325 is in the hundreds. For tens
and hundreds of larger numbers (thousands, millions), we say in the tens (or
hundreds) of… So: hundreds of thousands and tens of millions.
HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS
Often it is easier to describe four figure numbers in hundreds instead of thousands.
This is perfectly acceptable. For example, 1500 might be described as fifteen
hundred, instead of one thousand five hundred (or one and a half thousand),
because it is simpler to say.
1993
2020
NUMBERS AS ADJECTIVES
All of these numbers can be referred to by the number of figures they contain, with
plurals, for instance a number is in single figures (3), double figures (20) or
quadruple figures (1,000). However, when we use the figure size of the number to
describe a noun (such as a salary, price or to refer to a number itself) we simply
use number + figure + noun. For example, a six-figure salary, a four-figure
discount.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES FOR NUMBER GROUPS
There are many informal alternative names for groups of numbers that can be used
to simplify names. Beware you may not always be understood using these.
number Singular Example Plural
12 dozen 24 = 2 dozen
20 score 80 = 4 score
100 century 300 = centuries

1 grand, k 3000 = 3k
NUMBERS EXERCISE:
Copy these numbers the way they are pronounced.
1. 4,567 = Four Thousand Five Hundred Sixty-Seven
2. 367 = Three Hundred Sixty-Seven
3. 98,745= Ninety-Eight Thousand Seven Hundred Forty-Five
4. 120,005= One Hundred Twenty Thousand Five
5. 5,000= Five Thousand
6. 34,230= Thirty-Four Thousand Two Hundred Thirty
7. 873,120= Eight Hundred Seventy-Three Thousand One Hundred Twenty
8. 10,043= Ten Thousand Forty-Three
9. 7,340,200= Seven Million Three Hundred Forty Thousand Two Hundred
10. 54,500= Fifty-Four Thousand Five Hundred
11. 24= Twenty-Four
12. 4,567,090= Four Million Five Hundred Sixty-Seven Thousand Ninety
13. 67,000= Sixty-Seven Thousand
14. 92,000,031= Ninety-Two Million Thirty-One
15. 1,000,010,000,023 = One Trillion Ten Million Twenty-Three

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Activity 13.05.2020

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We use different words to describe numbers depending on how many digits

number Singular Example Plural

100 century 300 = centuries

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