Numbers are one of the most practical areas of English vocabulary. You need them for prices, times, dates, phone numbers, addresses, statistics, and measurements. While basic numbers (1 to 10) are usually learned very early, many intermediate learners still struggle with larger numbers, fractions, ordinals, and number-related expressions.
This page covers the key number vocabulary in English, including cardinal numbers (one, two, three), ordinal numbers (first, second, third), and important related vocabulary like "dozen", "score", and "per cent". Each entry includes pronunciation guidance because English number pronunciation has several tricky patterns.
Numbers vocabulary is essential for IELTS. IELTS Listening Section 1 almost always requires you to write down numbers — phone numbers, prices, dates, quantities, and reference codes. Mishearing a number is one of the most common causes of lost marks. The Higher or Lower exercise on LexFizz is ideal for sharpening your numerical recall in English.
After studying numbers, explore Business English vocabulary (numbers are central to financial and business language) and Travel vocabulary (booking, prices, and dates all use numbers heavily).
Word List
| Word | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|
| zero | the number 0 | The temperature dropped to zero last night. |
| one to ten | basic cardinal numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 | She counted one to ten before opening her eyes. |
| eleven to twenty | numbers 11 through 20 (eleven, twelve, thirteen...twenty) | There are twenty students in the class. |
| thirty, forty, fifty | tens: 30, 40, 50 | He is about thirty years old. |
| hundred | 100 | One hundred people attended the event. |
| thousand | 1,000 | The population of the village is about two thousand. |
| million | 1,000,000 | The company has a turnover of five million pounds. |
| billion | 1,000,000,000 | The project cost over three billion dollars. |
| first | the ordinal number for 1st; coming before all others | She finished first in the race. |
| second | the ordinal number for 2nd | He came second in the competition. |
| third | the ordinal number for 3rd | This is the third time I have visited Paris. |
| dozen | twelve items; often used when buying things | She bought a dozen eggs. |
| per cent | out of every hundred | Test results improved by fifteen per cent. |
| fraction | a number less than one, expressed as part of a whole (e.g. 1/2, 3/4) | Three quarters is a fraction that equals 0.75. |
| decimal | a number that uses a point to show amounts less than one | The price increased by 0.5 (point five) per cent. |
| negative number | a number below zero | The temperature fell to negative ten degrees overnight. |
| double | twice the amount; to multiply by two | Double the recipe quantities if cooking for eight people. |
| half | one of two equal parts; 50% | She ate half of the pizza. |
| quarter | one of four equal parts; 25% | It is quarter past three. |
| approximately | used to indicate that a number is not exact; roughly | The journey takes approximately two hours. |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers in English?
Cardinal numbers express quantity: one, two, three, four. Ordinal numbers express position or rank in a sequence: first, second, third, fourth. Cardinal numbers answer 'How many?'; ordinal numbers answer 'Which one in order?' Ordinal numbers are formed by adding -th to most cardinal numbers (fourth, fifth, sixth), with irregular forms for first, second, and third.
How do you say large numbers in English?
In English, large numbers use commas to separate groups of three digits: 1,000 = one thousand; 10,000 = ten thousand; 100,000 = one hundred thousand; 1,000,000 = one million. British English sometimes uses 'and' before the last part: 'one hundred and fifty' (vs American 'one hundred fifty'). Billions: in modern British and American English, a billion is 1,000,000,000 (a thousand million).
How do you say phone numbers in English?
Phone numbers are read as individual digits: 0207 461 3892 = oh-two-oh-seven, four-six-one, three-eight-nine-two. Zero is often pronounced 'oh' in phone numbers. Double digits are sometimes grouped: '44' = 'double four'. In IELTS Listening, phone number dictation is common — practise by listening to recorded numbers and writing them down quickly.
How do you say years in English?
Years up to 1999 are usually split into two pairs: 1985 = nineteen eighty-five. Years from 2000–2009 are usually said in full: 2005 = two thousand and five. From 2010, two options are common: 2024 = twenty twenty-four or two thousand and twenty-four. The two-part reading is returning to fashion: 2031 = twenty thirty-one.
What is the difference between 'number', 'figure', 'digit', and 'numeral'?
A 'number' is the concept (the number five). A 'digit' is a single numerical character (0-9): the number 47 has two digits. A 'figure' often refers to a rounded or approximate number, especially in financial contexts: 'sales figures', 'a six-figure salary'. A 'numeral' is the written symbol representing a number: Roman numeral V = the number 5.
How do you say fractions in English?
Fractions: the numerator (top) is cardinal; the denominator (bottom) is ordinal: 1/3 = one third, 2/5 = two fifths, 3/4 = three quarters (British) or three fourths (American). Exceptions: 1/2 = a half (not one second), 1/4 = a quarter (also acceptable as one quarter). In IELTS Writing Task 1, fractions are used to describe charts: 'approximately one third of respondents...'
How do you talk about percentages in English?
Write: 15% = fifteen per cent. Pronounce: fifteen per cent (British English with a space) or 15 percent (American English, one word). In academic writing: 'The unemployment rate rose by 3 percentage points.' Note: 'per cent' refers to the rate; 'percentage' refers to the concept. Common error: 'The price increased of 10%' — correct: 'The price increased by 10%.'
What are ordinal numbers used for in everyday English?
Ordinal numbers are used for: dates (the 5th of June, June 5th), rankings (first place, third prize), floors of buildings (the third floor), order of events (the first meeting, the second attempt), fractions (one third), superlatives in rankings ('She is the third tallest in the class'), and telling the time (quarter past/to). They are formed by adding -th except for 1st (first), 2nd (second), 3rd (third).
How do you practise number vocabulary for IELTS Listening?
IELTS Listening Section 1 tests your ability to accurately write numbers: prices, dates, phone numbers, addresses, and quantities. Practise by: listening to English radio or podcasts and noting down any numbers mentioned, doing Higher or Lower exercises to sharpen numerical recall, and completing IELTS practice tests. Common traps: 13 vs 30 (thirteen vs thirty — note the stress difference), 14 vs 40, and number sequences.
What is the difference between 'approximately', 'roughly', and 'about' with numbers?
All three mean 'not exactly' but with slightly different registers. 'About' is the most informal and common: 'about 50 people'. 'Approximately' is more formal and precise-sounding, used in academic writing: 'approximately 47%'. 'Roughly' suggests a less precise estimate: 'roughly a hundred'. In IELTS Writing Task 1, 'approximately' is preferred: 'Approximately one quarter of respondents agreed.'