Ordinal Numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd)

What are ordinal numbers?

Imagine a running race. The runners cross the line one after another. The first runner gets a gold medal, the next gets silver, the next gets bronze. To say which place each runner finished in, we use special words: first, second, third. These are called ordinal numbers.

Ordinal numbers tell you position — where something sits in a line or an order. They are different from the counting numbers you already know. Counting numbers like 1, 2, 3 tell you how many. Ordinal numbers like 1st, 2nd, 3rd tell you which one.

How many vs. which one

This is the big idea, so let's make it clear. Look at three apples in a row: 🍎🍎🍎.

• How many apples are there? Three. That is a counting number.
• Which apple is the green one? The second one. That is an ordinal number.

Counting answers "how many?". Ordinal answers "in what position?". You can practise saying which is which using our lesson on more than, less than and equal, where comparing also depends on order.

The ordinal words

Here are the first ten positions, written as words and in short form:

Position	Word	Short form
1	first	1st
2	second	2nd
3	third	3rd
4	fourth	4th
5	fifth	5th
6	sixth	6th
7	seventh	7th
8	eighth	8th
9	ninth	9th
10	tenth	10th

Notice the pattern. First, second and third are special, one-of-a-kind words. But from fourth onwards we almost always just add "th" to the number: four → fourth, six → sixth, ten → tenth. That makes the rest easy to remember.

Why the short forms look like that

The short forms come from the last two letters of the spoken word:

• first → 1st
• second → 2nd
• third → 3rd
• fourth → 4th

Now you can see why "th" is used for most numbers — because most ordinal words end in "th". The first three break the rule because their words end differently. Knowing the why helps you write them correctly without guessing.

Worked example 1: the race

Five children run a race. They finish in this order: Mia, Tom, Aria, Sam, Lily.

• Mia finished 1st (first).
• Tom finished 2nd (second).
• Aria finished 3rd (third).
• Sam finished 4th (fourth).
• Lily finished 5th (fifth).

If someone asks "Who came third?", the answer is Aria.

Worked example 2: in front and behind

You are standing 4th in a lunch line. How many people are in front of you?

Being 4th means 3 people are ahead of you (the 1st, 2nd and 3rd people), and you are the fourth. So the answer is 3 people in front. Position and counting work together here.

Worked example 3: ordinal numbers everywhere

Ordinal numbers are all around you:

• The 3rd day of the week is Wednesday (after the 1st and 2nd days).
• A birthday on the 21st of the month uses an ordinal number.
• You might be on the 2nd floor of a building.
• A story can have a 1st chapter, a 2nd chapter and so on.

Spotting them in real life makes them stick.

Why ordinal numbers matter

Ordinal numbers help us share order clearly. Without them, it would be hard to say who won a race, which step comes next in a recipe, or which floor to visit. They turn a jumble into a clear sequence: first this, then that. They also lay the groundwork for understanding dates, instructions and sequences — skills you use every single day.

Try it yourself

1. Line up toys. Put five toys in a row. Point and name them: first, second, third, fourth, fifth. Mix them up and try again.
2. Medal race. Race some marbles down a ramp. Give out 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Say the ordinal words out loud.
3. Calendar hunt. Look at a calendar. Find the 1st, the 2nd and the 3rd of the month. Then find today's date — what is its ordinal number?
4. Story steps. Tell a simple story using ordinal words: "First I woke up. Second I had breakfast. Third I went to play."

Practise a little each day. Soon first, second and third will roll off your tongue.