Ordinal-Numbers-Cardinal-Numbers | Commonly Confused Words
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Master confusing words with ease

Ordinal numbers vs. Cardinal 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

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:

Antonyms:

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • Ordinal numbers indicate position or order, while cardinal numbers indicate quantity.
  • Think of ordinal numbers as telling the rank, like first, second, third.
  • Cardinal numbers tell you how many, such as one, two, three.
  • Ordinal numbers often end in -th, -st, -nd, or -rd.
  • Cardinal numbers are the basic numbers you use for counting or expressing amounts.
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