Understanding and using numbers 1

This lesson focuses on how to use numbers naturally in English conversations and business contexts. We'll cover ways to say quantities, percentages, decimals, ordinals, and common expressions that use numbers. The emphasis is on spoken and written expressions you will meet in meetings, reports, and daily office interactions.

• How to read and say cardinal numbers (one, two, 100, 1,000)
• How to express percentages, decimals and fractions in speech
• Common numeric expressions in business (per cent, a quarter, a few)
• Practical tips for phone numbers, dates and clear pronunciation

Use the most specific and clear form for your context:

• Use cardinal numbers for counts: "five employees", "12 reports".
• Use ordinals for order or ranking: "first quarter", "second place".
• Say percentages as "percent" and decimals as "point": "12 percent", "3.5" → "three point five".
• Use approximations in conversation: "about/around/roughly 50" when exact numbers are not known.

When speaking, choose the form your listener expects: precise numbers for reports, approximations in casual updates.

Be aware of frequent universal errors learners make when using numbers in English:

• Using plural nouns incorrectly after numbers (e.g., 'two informations' → information is uncountable).
• Misreading decimals and using a comma instead of a point when speaking (say 'point' for 3.2).
• Confusing 'percent' word order when describing change (use 'increased by 5%').
• Using ordinals instead of cardinals or vice versa ('on the third place' is wrong — say 'in third place').
• Mixing up 'few/fewer' and 'little/less' after numbers and quantities.

When in doubt, choose the form that matches what you're counting (people/items) and practice saying numbers aloud.