Numbers

1 Fractions and decimals: two fifths; nought point four

We say simple fractions like this:
1
4
1
8
3
7
2
5

alone quarter
an/one eight
three sevenths

11
16
3
3
4
1
6
8

eleven sixteenths
three and three quarters
six and one eighth

two fifths

More complex fractions can be expressed by using the word over.

317
509

three hundred and seventeen over five hundred and nine

We write and say decimals like this:

0.4
noughtpoint four (NOTnought comma four)
0.375 noughtpointthree seven five (NOTnought point three hundred seventy-five)
4.7
four pointseven
For the difference between a(n) and one with numbers, see paragraph below.

2 Before nouns
With fractions below 1, we use of before nouns.
three quarters of an hour
seven tenths of a mile
third of the students
Half is not always followed by of
half an hour
half (of) the students
decimals below 1 are often followed directly by plural nouns.
nought point six miles (NOTnought point six mile)
nought point one three two five centimetres
Fractions and decimals over 1 are normally followed by plural nouns.
one and a half hours(NOTone and a half hour)
1.3 milimetres(NOT1.3milimetre)
Note also the structure aand a half.
Ive been waiting for an hour and a half.

3 Singular or plural verbs

Singular verbs are normally used after fractions, decimals and other expressions referring to amounts
and measurements.
Three quarters of a ton is too much.(NOTThree quarters of a ton are)
3.6 kilometresis about 2 miles.
But plural verbs are used when we are talking about numbers of people or things, even after a singular
fraction.
A third of the students are from abroad. (NOTA third of the students is)
Half of the glasses are broken.
After expressions like one in three, one out of five + plural noun, both singular and plural verbs are
possible.

4 Nought, zero, nil etc

The figure 0 is usually called nought in Brittish English and zero in American English. When we say
numbers one figure at a time, 0 is often called oh (like the letter O).
My account number is four one three oh six.
In measurements of temperature, 0 is called zero in both Brittish and American English. Zero is followed
by a plural noun.
Zero degrees Celsius is thirty-two degres Fahrenheit.
Zero scores in team games are called nil (American zero or nothing). In tennis and similar games, the
word love is used (originally from French loeuf, meaning the egg- the figure 0 is egg-shaped).
And the score at the half-time is: Scotland three, England nil.
Forty-love; Andrews to serve.

5 Telephone numbers
We say each figure separately, pausing after groups of three and four (not two). When the same figure
comes twice, Brittish people usually say double.
307 4922
three oh seven, four nine double two
(AmE three zero seven, four nine two two)

6 Cardinal and ordinal numbers: books, chapters etc; kings and queens
After a noun we usally use a cardinal number (one, two etc) instead of an ordinal number (first,
secondetc). This structure is common in titles. Compare:
the fourth book Book Four
the third act Act Three
Mozarts thirty-ninth symphony Symphony No. 39, by Mozart
the third day of the course Timetable for Day Three
the names of kings and queens are said with ordinal numbers.
Henry VIII: Henry the Eighth(NOT Henry Eight)
Louis XIV: Louis the Fourteenth
Elizabeth II: Elizabeth the Second

7 Floors
The ground floor in Brittish house is the first floor of an American house; the Brittishfirst floor is the
American second floor, etc.

8 And; punctuation
In Brittish English we always put and between hundred/thousand/million and numbers below a hundred.
In American English, and can be dropped.
310
three hundred and ten (AmE also three hundred ten)
5,642 five thousand, six hundred and forty-two
2,025 two thousand and twenty-five
In writing we generally use commas (,) to divide large numbers into groups of three figures, by
separating off the thousands and the millions. Full stops (.) are not used in this way.

9 Eleven hudredetc
In an informal style we often use eleven hundred, twelve hundredetc instead of one thousand one
hundred etc. This is most common with round numbers between 1,100 and 1,900.
We only got fifteen hundred pounds for the car.
He was born in thirteen hundred.
It was built in fifteen (hundred and) twenty-nine.

10 Billion
A billion is a thousand million.

11 Five hundred etc without s

After a number, the words dozen, hundred, thousand, million and billion have no final s, and of is not
used. This also happens after several and a few.
five hundred pounds
a few million years several thousand times
hundreds of pounds
millions of years
It costs thousands.
Singular forms are used as modifiers before nouns in plural measuring expressions.
a five-pound note (NOTa five pounds note)
a three-mile walk
a four-foot deep hole
six two-hour lessons
a six-foot tall man

12 Spoken calculations

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Common ways of saying calculations in Brittish English are:

2+2=4
Two and two is/are four. (informal)
Two plus two equals/is four. (formal)
74=3

Four from seven is/leaves three. (informal)

Seven take away four is/leaves three. (informal)
Seven minus four equals/is three. (formal)

3 4 = 12

Three fours are twelve. (informal)

Three times four is twelve. (informal)

Three multiplied by four equals/is twelve. (formal)

93=3

Three(s) into nine goes three (times). (informal)

Nine divided by three equals/is three.(formal)