I. Introduction
Numerals are an essential part of speech that we use to represent numbers. They play a crucial role in various aspects of communication, including counting, measuring, indicating order, and identifying specific quantities. In this guide, we will explore the different types of numerals, their usage, and common errors to avoid.
II. Types of Numerals
A. Cardinal Numerals
Cardinal numerals are used to express quantity or how many of something there are. They answer the question “how many?”.
- Examples:
- Small Numbers: one, two, three, four, five. For example, “There are three apples on the table.”
- Larger Numbers: ten, twenty, thirty, one hundred, one thousand. For instance, “There are two hundred students in the school.”
- In Decimal Form: 1, 2, 3, 10, 100. We can write, “The price of the book is $25.”
B. Ordinal Numerals
Ordinal numerals indicate the position or order of something in a sequence. They answer the question “which one?”.
- Examples:
- Regular Forms: first, second, third, fourth, fifth. For example, “He came in first place in the race.”
- Irregular Forms: some ordinal numerals have irregular forms, like eleventh, twelfth, twentieth. We might say, “This is the twelfth month of the year.”
- Decimal and Symbol Forms: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th. For instance, “She lives on the 5th floor.”
C. Multiplicative Numerals
Multiplicative numerals are used to show how many times a quantity is multiplied.
- Examples:
- single, double, triple, quadruple. For example, “He got a double dose of medicine.”
III. Usage of Numerals
A. In Counting and Quantifying
We use cardinal numerals to count objects or people.
- Example: “There are five chairs in the room.”
- When referring to an approximate number, we can use expressions like “about”, “around”, or “nearly”. For example, “There are about fifty people at the party.”
B. In Dates and Time
- Dates: We use ordinal numerals for the day of the month. For example, “The meeting is on the 15th of June.”
- Time: Cardinal numerals are used to tell the time. For instance, “It’s three o’clock.” We can also use expressions like “half past”, “quarter to”, etc. For example, “It’s half past six.”
C. In Measurements
Numerals are used to express measurements such as length, weight, volume, etc.
- Example: “The table is two meters long.” or “The bottle contains 500 milliliters of water.”
D. In Identifying Sequences and Order
Ordinal numerals are used to show the order of things in a series.
- Example: “This is the third chapter of the book.”
IV. Error Usages and How to Avoid Them
A. Confusing Cardinal and Ordinal Numerals
- Error Example: “I got a two place in the competition.” (Incorrect. It should be “second place” as we are referring to the position, not the quantity.)
- How to Avoid: Remember that cardinal numerals are for quantity and ordinal numerals are for order. If you are talking about the position in a sequence, use an ordinal numeral.
B. Incorrect Spelling of Ordinal Numerals
- Error Example: “He was the fourteenth person to arrive, but he wrote ‘fourtieth’.” (Incorrect spelling of “fourteenth”.)
- How to Avoid: Learn the correct spellings of ordinal numerals, especially the irregular ones. Practice writing them regularly.
C. Using Numerals Inconsistently
- Error Example: “We need 5 apples and ten oranges.” (It’s better to be consistent in the style of writing numerals. Either use words for both or digits for both.)
- How to Avoid: Follow a consistent style within a piece of writing. In general, for numbers one to ten, it’s preferable to use words, and for numbers above ten, digits can be used. However, this may vary depending on the context and style guide you are following.
D. Missing Hyphens in Compound Numerals
- Error Example: “She has a twenty one year old son.” (It should be “twenty-one-year-old” as it is a compound adjective.)
- How to Avoid: When using compound numerals as adjectives before a noun, use hyphens to connect the words.
V. Conclusion
Numerals are an important part of our language that help us convey specific information about quantity, order, and measurement. By understanding the different types of numerals and their correct usage, and by being aware of common errors, we can communicate more clearly and accurately in both written and spoken English.