Numbers
Numbers are one kind of determiner. In terms of meaning, numbers are similar to quantifier determiners, but most grammarians treat them separately.
Numbers can be "cardinal" (one, two, three) or "ordinal" (first, second, third), as shown in this table:
cardinal | ordinal | ||
---|---|---|---|
1 | one | first | 1st |
2 | two | second | 2nd |
3 | three | third | 3rd |
10 | ten | tenth | 10th |
21 | twenty-one | twenty-first | 21st |
99 | ninety-nine | ninety-ninth | 99th |
100 | one hundred | one hundredth | 100th |
1000 | one thousand | one thousandth | 1000th |
etc | see more cardinal and ordinal numbers |
Like all determiners, numbers come at the beginning of a noun phrase, so they come in front of any adjective(s).
Look at these example sentences:
- I ordered two cakes.
- There were three hundred angry people present.
- Jane won first prize and Jo won third prize.
- They have just produced their one millionth sports car.
When used together in a noun phrase, ordinals normally come before cardinals.
- The first three prizes went to the same family.