Numbers & Quantities

Understanding Numbers: 0 to 10

Learning to recognize and pronounce numbers is fundamental for everyday communication. We’ll start with the basics, focusing on clear pronunciation.

Step-by-Step: Pronouncing 0-10

1. Listen and Repeat: Pay close attention to the sound of each number.
2. Focus on Clarity: Ensure each sound is distinct.
3. Practice Regularly: Repetition builds confidence and accuracy.

Number	Word	Pronunciation Tip
0	Zero	Sounds like ‘zee-roh’
1	One	Sounds like ‘wun’
2	Two	Sounds like ‘too’
3	Three	Start with a ‘th’ sound (tongue between teeth), then ‘ree’
4	Four	Sounds like ‘for’
5	Five	Sounds like ‘fayv’
6	Six	Sounds like ‘siks’
7	Seven	Sounds like ‘seh-vuhn’
8	Eight	Sounds like ‘ayt’
9	Nine	Sounds like ‘nayn’
10	Ten	Sounds like ‘ten’

Note: The 'th' Sound

For ‘three’, place your tongue gently between your front teeth and blow air out. This creates the ‘th’ sound. Practice this sound in isolation before saying the whole word.

Numbers 11 to 20

These numbers have unique spellings and pronunciations. Pay special attention to the ‘teen’ ending, which often carries a stronger stress than the ‘ty’ ending we’ll see later.

Number	Word	Pronunciation Tip
11	Eleven	Sounds like ‘ee-leh-vuhn’
12	Twelve	Sounds like ‘twelv’
13	Thirteen	‘th’ sound, then ‘teen’ (stress on ‘teen’)
14	Fourteen	‘for-teen’ (stress on ‘teen’)
15	Fifteen	‘fif-teen’ (stress on ‘teen’)
16	Sixteen	‘siks-teen’ (stress on ‘teen’)
17	Seventeen	‘seh-vuhn-teen’ (stress on ‘teen’)
18	Eighteen	‘ayt-teen’ (stress on ‘teen’)
19	Nineteen	‘nayn-teen’ (stress on ‘teen’)
20	Twenty	Sounds like ‘twen-tee’ (or ‘twen-nee’ in American English)

Caution: 'Teen' vs. 'Ty'

It’s crucial to distinguish between numbers ending in ‘-teen’ (13-19) and numbers ending in ‘-ty’ (30, 40, etc.). Mispronouncing these can lead to misunderstandings. For ‘teen’ numbers, the stress is usually on the ‘teen’ syllable. For ‘ty’ numbers, the stress is usually on the first syllable.

Numbers 21 to 100

Numbers from 21 to 99 follow a simple pattern: the ‘tens’ number, a hyphen, and then the ‘units’ number (1-9).

Step-by-Step: Forming Numbers 21-99

1. Identify the ‘Tens’: Start with the number for the tens (e.g., ‘twenty’, ‘thirty’, ‘forty’).
2. Add a Hyphen: Mentally or literally add a hyphen.
3. Identify the ‘Units’: Add the single-digit number (e.g., ‘one’, ‘two’, ‘three’).
4. Combine: Say them together. For example, 21 is ‘twenty-one’, 35 is ‘thirty-five’.

Number	Word	Pronunciation Tip
20	Twenty	‘twen-tee’
21	Twenty-one	‘twen-tee-wun’
30	Thirty	‘thur-tee’ (remember the ‘th’ sound)
33	Thirty-three	‘thur-tee-three’
40	Forty	‘for-tee’ (note: no ‘u’ like in ‘four’)
47	Forty-seven	‘for-tee-seh-vuhn’
50	Fifty	‘fif-tee’
59	Fifty-nine	‘fif-tee-nayn’
60	Sixty	‘siks-tee’
70	Seventy	‘seh-vuhn-tee’
80	Eighty	‘ay-tee’
90	Ninety	‘nayn-tee’
99	Ninety-nine	‘nayn-tee-nayn’
100	One Hundred	‘wun hun-dred’

Note: Hyphenation

When writing numbers from 21 to 99, always use a hyphen between the tens and the units (e.g., ‘twenty-five’, ‘sixty-eight’).

Practical Application: Using Numbers in Context

Now let’s apply what you’ve learned to common real-world situations.

1. Stating Your Age

How to do it: Use the structure ‘I am [number] years old.’ or simply ‘I am [number].’

• Example 1: You are 25. You say: “I am twenty-five years old.” or “I am twenty-five.”
• Example 2: You are 38. You say: “I am thirty-eight years old.”

2. Giving Phone Numbers

How to do it: Phone numbers are usually spoken digit by digit. ‘Zero’ is often pronounced as ‘oh’ in phone numbers.

• Example 1: Phone number: 555-1234. You say: “My number is five-five-five, one-two-three-four.”
• Example 2: Phone number: 077-890-1234. You say: “My number is oh-seven-seven, eight-nine-oh, one-two-three-four.”

Note: Pauses in Phone Numbers

Use slight pauses between groups of numbers to make them easier to understand. For example, ‘five-five-five (pause) one-two-three-four’.

3. Talking About Prices

How to do it: State the number followed by the currency. For whole numbers, just say the number and the currency. For numbers with cents/pence, say the whole number, then ‘and’, then the cents/pence.

• Example 1: Price: $15. You say: “It costs fifteen dollars.”
• Example 2: Price: £40. You say: “It’s forty pounds.”
• Example 3: Price: $22.50. You say: “It’s twenty-two dollars and fifty cents.”
• Example 4: Price: €7.05. You say: “It’s seven euros and five cents.”

4. Expressing Quantities

How to do it: Use the number before the noun you are counting. Remember to make the noun plural if the number is greater than one.

• Example 1: You need 3 pens. You say: “I need three pens.”
• Example 2: You have 1 apple. You say: “I have one apple.”
• Example 3: There are 12 chairs. You say: “There are twelve chairs.”
• Example 4: I bought 50 grams. You say: “I bought fifty grams.”

5. Giving Dates (Years)

How to do it: For years, especially before 2000, we often say them as two pairs of numbers. For years 2000 onwards, it’s usually ‘two thousand and [number]’ or ‘two thousand [number]’.

• Example 1: Year: 1985. You say: “nineteen eighty-five.”
• Example 2: Year: 2003. You say: “two thousand and three.”
• Example 3: Year: 2024. You say: “two thousand twenty-four.” or “twenty twenty-four.”

Caution: Date Formats

While numbers are used in dates, the full format (e.g., ‘January first, two thousand twenty-four’) involves more complex rules. For now, focus on just saying the year correctly.