Ordinal numbers
Spelling of Ordinal Numbers
Just add -th to the cardinal number:
four - fourth
eleven - eleventh
Exceptions:
| one - first | five - fifth | eight - eighth |
| two - second | nine - ninth | |
| three - third | twelve - twelfth |
In compound ordinal numbers, note that only the last figure is written as an ordinal number:
421st = four hundred and twenty-first
5,111th = five thousand, one hundred and eleventh
Figures
When expressed as figures, the last two letters of the written word are added to the ordinal number:
| first = 1st | third = 3rd | twenty-sixth = 26th |
| second = 2nd | fourth = 4th | hundred and first = 101st |
Titles
In names for kings and queens ordinal numbers are written in Roman numerals. In spoken English, the definite article is used before the ordinal number:
Charles II Charles the second |
|
Henry VIII Henry the Eighth |
| 1st first | 20th twentieth |
| 2nd second | 21st twenty-first |
| 3rd third | 22nd twenty-second |
| 4th fourth | 23rd twenty-third |
| 5th fifth | 24th twenty-fourth |
| 6th sixth | 25th twenty-fifth |
| 7th seventh | 26th twenty-sixth |
| 8th eighth | 27th twenty-seventh |
| 9th ninth | 28th twenty-eighth |
| 10th tenth | 29th twenty-ninth |
| 11th eleventh | 30th thirtieth |
| 12th twelfth | 40th fortieth |
| 13th thirteenth | 50th fiftieth |
| 14th fourteenth | 60th sixtieth |
| 15th fifteenth | 70th seventieth |
| 16th sixteenth | 80th eightieth |
| 17th seventeeth | 90th ninetieth |
| 18th eighteenth | 100th one hundredth |
| 19th nineteenth | |

