The Numeral and its Functions

The numeral is a part of speech which includes words denoting number.

Numerals may be used in the same functions in which nouns and
adjectives are used:

Twelve were absent. The first is mine. There are five chairs in the room.
It was the first English book I read.

The chief classes of numerals are cardinals and ordinals.

1. Cardinal Numerals (one, two, three, four, etc) are used in counting,
answering the question How many?
I had to pay twenty rubles. There were thirty-two students in the
classroom.

Mind the spelling of the following cardinal numerals: thirteen, fifteen,

eighteen, forty, fifty, and eighty.
Read the following numerals correctly: 101-one hundred and one, 200-
two hundred, 1,001-one thousand and one, 10,001-ten thousand and
one, 100,000-one hundred thousand. Writing numbers of more than four
figures, we separate every three ciphers by commas counting from the
end.

All cardinal numerals may become nouns and take a plural ending.

The nine played an excellent game. They formed by fours. Thousands

went to the meeting.

Million is the only numeral that can take the plural form when
multiplied and not followed by another numeral, but then it is used as a
noun and followed by the preposition of: Five million inhabitants or
five millions of inhabitants. Eight million workers or eight millions of
workers.

Certain things, e.g. eggs, bread rolls, oranges, are often bought in
dozens.
The plural form of dozen, hundred and thousand is used when no
numeral precedes: in these cases the numerals dozen, hundred and
thousand are substantivized: Dozens of eggs, two dozen eggs; hundreds
of students, a few hundred students; thousands of books, several
thousand books.

Hundred, thousand and million must be preceded by a or one; one is

generally used when smaller numbers follow: a hundred, one hundred
and forty-five.

Mind the following:

a) To count by dozens, hundreds, thousands; also by the hundred,
by the thousand;
b) A dozen-12, a score-20, three score-60;
c) Half-an-hour; three miles and a half or three and a half miles; a
quarter of an hour.
When writing the names of kings, we use Roman numerals: George IV,
but say George the Fourth. Some rich American families do the same.

The word odd may be used with round numbers over twenty to give an
approximate figure:
Its hundred odd pounds (about)
She is sixty odd. (About 60 years old)
The suffix -ish, the words or so and or thereabouts can also be used
when giving approximate numbers:
He is sixtyish. Ill meet you nineish.
It cost a hundred pounds or so.
Hes arriving on the seventh or thereabouts.

Mind the pronunciation of the figure 0 (nought/zero) in different

spheres. In tennis and similar games, the word love is used (originally
from French meaning the egg) the figure 0 is egg-shaped.
a) Eight minus eight leaves nought.
b) If you add a cipher to 50, you will have 500.
c) The temperature has fallen below zero.
d) They beat them 2:0 (two nil, two to nil).
e) Becker leads by two sets to love (2-0) (in tennis)
f) 66503=double six-five o (ou)-three (telephone number)
(In American English zero is used nearly everywhere.)
 Even numbers are: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 .
Odd numbers are: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 .

Remember the following patterns:

She is a girl in her teens.
In the thirties of the last century British industry expanded rapidly.
They walked in threes and fours.
The child was walking on all fours.

Cardinals are substantivized when they name:

1) school marks:
She got a ten. Nina got three eights.
2) sets of persons and things:
They paraded in fives.
Form twos!
3) playing cards:
The six of spades, the five of diamonds, the nine of clubs, the three of
hearts, three of trumps.
4) boats for a certain number of rowers:
A ten, a one, an eight.
5) decades:
In the late eighties, in the early twenties.

2. Ordinal Numerals (first, second, third, fourth, etc.) denote the

position or order of persons or things in a series; they answer the
question which? Most of the ordinal numerals are formed from
cardinals by means of the suffix th (seventh, fourteenth, twentieth)
except first, second and third.

Mind the spelling of fifth, eighth, ninth, twelfth.

Mary sits in the first row. He plays the second violin. It is our fourth
lesson.

Ordinal numerals are usually preceded by the definite article: The first
lesson is much more difficult than the second.
The indefinite article may also be used with ordinal numerals in the
meaning of an additional one.
The second voyage he made was the most adventurous one.
Two years later he made a second voyage.
In ordinal groups only the last member of the group takes the ordinal
forms: thirty-fifth, two hundred and second.

Mind the following: Page 3, the third page, page three; the third act,
Act Three .Mozarts thirty-ninth symphony Symphony No.39, by
Mozart, the third day of the course Timetable for Day Three.

Floors.
The ground floor of a British house is the first floor of an American
house;
The British first floor is the American second floor, etc.

3. Fractions.
In fractional numbers the numerator is a cardinal and the denominator
is an ordinal (used as a noun): two-thirds, three sixths; =a (one)
quarter, 2 =two and a quarter, =a half, 2 =two and a half,
=three quarters (of an hour), 3 =three and three quarters, 7/10 mil -
seven tenths of a mile
More complex fractions can be expressed by using the word over.
317/509 three hundred and seventeen over five hundred and nine

Decimal fractions: 1.62=one, point (decimal) six, two; 45.987=forty

five point nine eight seven.

Singular and plural with fractions and decimals

With fractions below 1, we normally use of a + singular noun. The
same structure is common with decimals below 1.
three quarters of a ton
0.1625 cm - nought point one six two five of a centimeter
However, decimals below 1 can also be followed directly by a plural
noun.
nought point one six two five centimeters
Fractions and decimals over 1 are normally followed directly by a
plural noun.
one and a half hours
1.3 millimeters
Note also the structure a and a half.
Ive been waiting for an hour and a half.
Singular verbs are normally used after fractions and other expressions
referring to amounts.
Three quarters of a ton is too much.
3.6 kilometers is about 2 miles

4. Telephone Numbers.
Telephone numbers are written with gaps between each group of
numbers, not usually with dashes or full stops: e.g. 01 339 4867. The
first group is usually the dialing code for a particular place and is often
in brackets: (01) 339 4867. 0 in phone numbers is pronounced oh.
Numbers are pronounced separately and double figures are usually given
as e.g. double three: oh one, double three (or three three) nine, four
eight six seven.
Treble figures are normally spoken as follows: 6222: six two double
two. A number like 2222 would be spoken double two double two.
Other long numbers like bank accounts numbers, national insurance
numbers and so on are usually spoken in the same way.

5. Mathematical Symbols.
= (the equals sign)
This is spoken as equal or equals, is equal to or is/are or make/makes, so
2+2=4 could be spoken as:
2 and (plus) 2 is/equals/makes 4

- (the minus sign)

This is spoken as minus or take away or from
9-3=6 could be spoken as:
9 minus/take away 3 equals/makes 6.
3 from 9 equals/makes 6.

X (the multiplication sign)

This is spoken as multiplied by or times:
9x3=27 could be spoken as:
9 multiplied by 3 equals 27
9 times 3 is 27
Three nines (or nine threes) are 27.

: (the division sign)

This is spoken as divided by or over.
9:3=3 could be spoken as:
9 divided by (or over) 3 equals 3
3 into nine is/goes 3.

% (the percentage sign)

This is usually said per cent.
3% =three per cent
3 1/2%=three and a half per cent
3.5%=three point five per cent

6. Dates.
35 B.C. (Before Christ); A.D. (Anno Domini, in the year of our
Lord in Latin)
Pompey died in 48 B.C.
Tiberius died in A.D. 37.
The name of the century is one ahead of the way the years in it are
written/said: e.g. 1500-1599 is the sixteenth century. We can refer to the
fifteen twenties, etc. and in this century to the fifties, the sixties. We
refer to 1900-1910 as the nineteen hundreds.

Years are said in two parts.

1066: ten sixty-six, 1917: nineteen seventeen
The early years of a century, e. g. from (19)01 to (19)12, have two
forms: nineteen hundred and one, or nineteen-(oh)-one. Years ending in
00 are said with hundred: 1900: nineteen hundred, but note 2,000:
the year two thousand.

7. The Date.
We can write the date in different ways: e. g.
Day/month/year: 6th January, 1990 (or 90)
Month/day/year: January 6th, 1998 (or 98)
The letters that follow the numbers (-st, -nd, -rd, -th) may be omitted, as
can the comma before the year. Abbreviations can be used for months.
(App 24).The date can also be written entirely in figures: 6.1.90, or
06.01. 90. In BrE this means January 6, 1990. In AmE it means June 1,
1990 since the number of the month is written before the day. When we
say the date we add the: January, the sixth, or the sixth of January
(BrE);but January sixth (AmE).
8. The time.
Telling the time in everyday speech.
If a clock shows 10.00, the answer to the question whats the time? is:
Its ten oclock, or ten, or its ten. The word oclock is used only with
exact hours, never with other times: Its five past ten, etc. When the hour
is known, we can just say: (Its) five past. (Its) five to. For past the hour
we say: (Its) five past (ten), a quarter past (ten).For before the hour we
say: (Its) twenty-five to (eleven), a quarter to (eleven).
With all other combinations before the hour and past the hour, we say
minutes: three minutes to ten, twenty minutes to eleven. In AmE after is
commonly used in place of past and of instead of to: a quarter of eleven.
Informally, we sometimes say: half ten instead of half past ten and ten
fifteen, ten thirty instead of using a quarter and half.
Sometimes we say a.m. (ante meridiem, i.e. before midday) or p m. (
post meridiem i.e. after midday) for times before and after 12 noon. Ill
meet you at 5 p.m. We also say at noon or at midnight. For 12 a.m. or 12
p.m.

The time in schedules and timetables.

The twenty-four hour clock is generally used for railway timetables.
These are written and spoken as follows:
09.00 nine hundred hours
09.03 nine oh three
09.10 nine ten
09.15 nine fifteen
09.30 nine thirty
09.36 nine thirty-six
09.45 nine forty-five

21.00 twenty-one hundred hours

21.03 twenty-one oh three
21.10 twenty-one ten
21.15 twenty-one fifteen
21.30 twenty-one thirty
21.36 twenty-one thirty-six
21.45 twenty-one forty-five

Which train do you want to catch?

-I think Ill try to get the ten eighteen.
Remember the following:
Twice a week he used to go to the theatre.
A week today our holidays will begin.
The accident happened a week ago today.
They stayed with their uncle for a fortnight.
A fortnight today our holidays will be over.
My birthday was a fortnight ago yesterday.
The day before yesterday my father got a new car.
He is going to take us to London the day after tomorrow.
Three months (as quarter of a year)
Six months (half a year)
Eighteen months (a year and a half)

9. The Multiplying Numbers.

I see my uncle once a year.
Their house is twice as big as ours.
We met them three times last month.

Do not take the material single, take it double.

He put in quite a lot of money; however, he got it back fivefold.

Remember: once, twice, three times, four times; single, double, triple
(treble), threefold, fourfold, fivefold.

Keep in mind :
He has played for England more than a hundred times.
Last June it rained five times as much as in the same month last year.
Please, read the sentence once more.
Once upon a time there was .
When her mother called her, she got up at once.
Dont speak all at once!
All at once I caught sight of him.
I have told you once and for all.
He got back half as much again.

10.The Adverbial Numbers.

First she lived in New York, then in Boston.
Last, but not least I welcomed my friend.
At first I thought she was very good.
At last he reached his aim.

Firstly (in the first place) we were tired, and secondly (in the second
place) we were hungry.

Instead of the first we use the former when referring to one out of two
persons or things just mentioned; and the latter (instead of the last)
when referring to the second of two:
Trains and coaches are both common means of transport the
former are faster, the latter less expensive.

Of the two expressions the latter is used more often, and can refer to the
last out of more than two:
Spain, Italy, Greece: of these countries the latter is still the most
interesting as regards .

Nouns may follow the former/the latter

Of the dog and the cat, the former animal makes a better pet in my
opinion.

11. Measures and Weights.

Measures of Length
1 yd. (yard) = 3 ft. (feet) = 36 in. (inches) = 91.44 cm. (centimeters)
1 mile = 1760 yds. = 1609.34 m. (meters)

Weights
1 ton = 20 cwts. (hundredweights) = 1016 kg. (kilograms)
1cwt. = 8 stone = 112 lbs. (pounds)
1lb. (pound) = 16 oz. (ounces) = 0.453 kg
1 oz. (ounce) = 28.35 g.
C = lat. Centum
Lb. = lat. Libra
Lbs. = lat. Libras (=pounds)

Measures of Capacity
1 gal. (gallon) = 4 qt. (quarts) = 8 pints = 4.54 l.
1 bush. (bushel) = 8 gal.
Temperatures
0 C. (Celsius) = 32 F. (Fahrenheit): freezing-point
100 C = 212 F.: boiling-point
1 C (Celsius, one centigrade) = 1, 8 + 32 F

British and American Money

1 (one pound) = 100 pence
Coins: 50p (50 pence), 10p (10 pence), 5p (5pence), 1p (1penny), 1/2p
(1/2penny)

$1 (one dollar) = 100 (cent)

Coins: 50 (a half dollar), 25 (a quarter), 10 (a dime), 5 (a nickel), 1
(a penny)
(Before February 15, 1971 the British had the following system:
1 (pound) = 20s. (shillings); 1s. = 12d. ( = pence; lat. denarius);
2/5/6 = two pound five (shillings) and six (pence).

12. Measurement
The noun=noun structure is used in measurements, with a number before
the first noun. The number is usually joined to the first noun by a
hyphen. Note that the first noun is normally singular in form in these
cases.
a five-litre can
a ten-pound note
a six-pound chicken
a three-mile walk
a five-day course
a two-person tent
ten two-hour lessons
The number one is often left out.
a pint mug

In fractions, the plural s is not dropped.

a two-thirds share
Note the use of thes structure before worth.
a pounds worth of walnuts
three dollars worth of popcorn
Speaking about areas we say, for example, that a room is twelve feet by
fifteen feet, or that a garden is thirty meters by forty-eight meters.
A room twelve feet by twelve feet can be called twelve feet square; the
total area is 144 square feet.

13. Roman Numbers

Roman numbers are not common in modern English, but they are still
used in a few cases for example the names of kings and queens, page
numbers in the introductions to some books, the numbers of paragraphs
in some documents, the numbers of questions in some examinations, the
figures on some clock faces, and occasionally the names of centuries.
It was built in time of Henry V.
For details, see Introduction page ix.
Do question (vi) or question (vii), but not both.
A fine XVIII Century English walnut chest of drawers.

The Roman numbers normally used are as follows:

1. I i 10. X x `40. XL xl
2. II ii 11. YI xl 45. XLV xlv
3. III iii 12. XII xii 50. L l
4. IV iv 13. XIII xiii 60. LX lx
5. V v 14. XIV xiv 90. XC xc
6. VI vi 19. XIX xix 100. C c
7. VII vii 20. XX xx 500. D
8. VIII viii 21. XXI xxi 1000. M
9. IX ix 30. XXX xxx 1995. MCMXCV

14. Patterns of Combinability of the Numeral.

Numerals combine mostly with nouns and usually function as
premodifying attributes:
seven tiny white kittens, the third left door
but: his third beloved daughter, that fourth bench, the first five pupils

Postmodifying numerals combine with some nouns denoting items of

certain sets of things:
pages, paragraphs, chapters, buses, lessons in textbooks, etc.:
bus 5, page 12, room 10, etc.(no article)

As head-words modified by other words numerals are combinable with:

Prepositional phrases:
three of them, one of the teachers, the 21 st of July, etc.
Pronouns:
every three children, all ten, each seventh, etc.
Adjectives:
the last two years, the worst three swimmers, etc.
Particles:
only five, only ten sportsmen, just three weeks, she is nearly fifty, the
very first of them.
In the functions of subject or predicative the numerals are combinable
with link verbs, generally the verb to be:
Seven were absent. The second is my sister. They were ten, we were
three. My friend is the first.

15. Syntactical Functions of the Numeral.

The most characteristic function of cardinals and ordinals is that of
premodifying attribute:
two friends, the tenth page, etc.
The ordinals are used as ordinary attributes, but the cardinals govern the
number of the noun they modify:
the third page ,but three pages, twenty-one pages, two hundred and one
sportsmen, etc.

Both cardinals and ordinals may have the functions of subject, object,
predicative and adverbial modifier of time:
Five of us were rescued.
They found nine of them in the forest.
They were nine.
She arrived at 7 in the evening.