Cardinal numbers vs. Ordinal numbers

Cardinal numbers

/ˈkɑːr.dɪ.nəl ˈnʌm.bɚz/

Basic numbers used to denote quantity, such as one, two, three

Examples:

She has three cats and two dogs at home.You will need seven eggs for this recipe.The building has twenty stories in total.

Synonyms:

integers

Antonyms:

ordinal numbers

Ordinal numbers

/ˈɔːrdənəl ˈnʌmbərz/

Words that represent the position or order of items in a sequence.

Examples:

She finished the race in fourth place.The second chapter is my favorite in the book.Our office is located on the tenth floor.

Synonyms:

This word has no synonyms

Antonyms:

This word has no antonyms

Ways to tell them apart:

• Ordinal numbers indicate position or order in a sequence, like 1st, 2nd, 3rd.
• Cardinal numbers tell how many and are used for counting, like 1, 2, 3.
• Remember ordinal numbers usually end with th, st, nd, or rd.
• Cardinal numbers appear as straightforward numerals without extra letters.
• Ordinal implies an order, think ord-inal, both start with ord.