Expressing Numbers in English

Expressing Numbers in English By Kenneth Beare
Expressing numbers in English can be confusing to both students and those

listening. Make sure you understand how to express numbers in spoken English
by following these rules.
Below you will find numbers written out in order to help students learn the
correct grouping in English. Generally speaking, numbers larger than nine should
always be expressed by numbers in written English, while numbers under 10
should be written out:
 I have 15 clients in New York.

 He ate three cookies.
 She has 240 contacts on her mailing list.
How to Say Numbers from One to 100
Say individual numbers between one and twenty. After that, use the tens (twenty,
thirty, etc.) followed by the numbers one through nine:
 7 - seven
 19 - nineteen
 32 - thirty-two
 89 - eighty-nine
When expressing large numbers (more than one hundred), read in groups of
hundreds. The order is as follows: billion, million, thousand, hundred. Notice
that hundred, thousand, etc. is NOT followed by an "s:"
 200 is two hundred NOT two hundreds
How to Say Numbers in the Hundreds
Say numbers in the hundreds by beginning with numerals one through nine
followed by "hundred". Finish by saying the last two digits:
 350 – three hundred fifty

 425 – four hundred twenty-five
 873 - eight hundred seventy-three
 112 - one hundred twelve
NOTE: British English takes "and" following "hundred." American English omits
"and:"
How to Say Numbers in the Thousands
The next group is the thousands. Say a number up to 999 followed by "thousand."
Finish by reading the hundreds when applicable:
 15,560 – fifteen thousand five hundred sixty

 786,450 – seven hundred six thousand four hundred fifty
 342,713 - three hundred forty-two thousand seven hundred thirteen
 569,045 - five hundred sixty-nine thousand forty-five
How to Say Numbers in the Millions
For millions, say a number up to 999 followed by "million." Finish by saying first
the thousands and then the hundreds when applicable:
 2,450,000 – two million four hundred fifty thousand

 27,805,234 - twenty-seven million eight hundred five thousands two
hundred thirty-four
 934,700,000 – nine hundred thirty-four million seven hundred thousand
 589,432,420 - five hundred eighty-nine million four hundred thirty-two
thousand four hundred twenty
For even larger numbers, first use billions and then trillions in a similar manner
to millions:
 23,870,550,000 - twenty-three billion eight hundred seventy million five

hundred fifty thousand
 12,600,450,345,000 - twelve trillion six hundred billion four hundred fifty
million three hundred forty-five thousand
Large numbers are often rounded to the next biggest or next smallest number to
make things easier. For example, 345,987,650 is rounded to 350,000,000.
How to Say Numbers With Decimals
Speak decimals as the number followed by "point." Next, say each number
beyond the point individually:
 2.36 - two point three six

 14.82 - fourteen point eight two
 9.7841 -nine point seven eight four one
 3.14159 - three point one four one five nine (that's Pi!)
How to Say Percentages

Say percentages as the number followed by "percent:"
 37% - thirty-seven percent

 12% - twelve percent
 87% - eighty-seven percent
 3% - three percent
How to Talk About Fractions
Say the top number as a cardinal number, followed by the ordinal number + "s:"
 3/8 - three-eighths
 5/16 - five-sixteenths
 7/8 - seven-eighths
 1/32 - one thirty-second
Exceptions to this rule are:
 1/4, 3/4 - one-quarter, three quarters

 1/3, 2/3 - one third, two-thirds
 1/2 - one-half
Read numbers together with fractions by first stating the number followed by
"and" and then the fraction:
 4 7/8 - four and seven-eighths

 23 1/2 - twenty-three and one-half
Important Numerical Expressions
Here is how to say a number of important numerical expressions in English.
 Speed: 100 mph (miles per hour). Read speed as numbers: One hundred miles
per hour
 Weight: 42 lb. (pounds). Read weight as numbers: forty-two pounds

 Telephone numbers: 212-555-1212. Read telephone numbers in individual
numbers: two one two five five five one two one two
 Dates: 12/04/65. Read dates month, day, year in the U.S.
 Temperature: 72° F (Fahrenheit). Read temperature as "degrees
+number": seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit
 Height - 6'2''. Read height in feet and then inches: six feet two inches
 Score - 2-1. Read scores as "number + to + number": Two to one
Talking About Money
When you see a price such as $60, read the currency first then the number: Sixty
dollars.
If the amount includes cents, express the dollar amount first, followed by the
cents:
 $43.35 - forty-three dollars and thirty-five cents

 $120.50 - one hundred twenty dollars and fifty cents
Native speakers often just say the dollar number and then the cents number and
drop "dollars" and "cents"
 $35.80 - thirty-five eighty

 $175.50 - one hundred seventy-five fifty
Ordinal Numbers
Ordinal numbers are used when speaking about the day of the month, or a position in a
group. Most numbers end in 'th', except "first", "second", and "third" of every ten
numbers:
1st first
2nd second
3rd third
5th fifth
8th eighth
17th seventeenth
21st twenty-first
46th forty-sixth
100th one-hundredth
1000thone thousandth
Examples:
 His birthday is May fifth.

 She is third in line, behind the guy in the cap.
 I greeted her first, as she had been waiting the longest.

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Expressing Numbers in English By Kenneth Beare

Expressing numbers in English can be confusing to both students and those

 I have 15 clients in New York.

How to Say Numbers from One to 100

 200 is two hundred NOT two hundreds

How to Say Numbers in the Hundreds

 350 – three hundred fifty

 15,560 – fifteen thousand five hundred sixty

How to Say Numbers in the Millions

 2,450,000 – two million four hundred fifty thousand

 23,870,550,000 - twenty-three billion eight hundred seventy million five

How to Say Numbers With Decimals

 2.36 - two point three six

How to Say Percentages

 37% - thirty-seven percent

How to Talk About Fractions

Exceptions to this rule are:

 1/4, 3/4 - one-quarter, three quarters

 4 7/8 - four and seven-eighths

Important Numerical Expressions

Here is how to say a number of important numerical expressions in English.

 Weight: 42 lb. (pounds). Read weight as numbers: forty-two pounds

 $43.35 - forty-three dollars and thirty-five cents

 $35.80 - thirty-five eighty

 His birthday is May fifth.

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