English Numerals

The definition of the numerals, classification, examples and the functions of numerals in a sentence.

Numerals in English is a part of speech that defines the number or the order of items.

There are simple numerals (1-12), derivative numerals (13-19) and composite numerals (for example: 21, 67, 147).

There are cardinal and ordinal numerals in the English language.

1) Cardinal numerals show the number of certain items. They correspond to the interrogative word “How many?”

2) Ordinal numerals are used to show the order of items. They correspond to the question starting with the word “Which?”

Example:

Such words as “a hundred”, “a thousand” and “a million” are nouns, not numerals. If these words are used in a singular form, they always go with the indefinite article “a” or the numeral “one”.

Let’s give some examples:

These words are not used with the plural ending:

Still, the following words could have the plural ending:

Thus, words “a hundred”, “a thousand” and “a million” could have the plural ending, if they are followed with the “of” preposition and a noun.

3) In a sentence numbers are usually used as attributes.

4) Numerals could have any function in a sentence if they don’t have any defined words.