Reading numbers aloud in English has specific conventions that differ from other languages. Whether dealing with large sums, fractions, dates, or scores, knowing the correct spoken form avoids awkward misunderstandings.
For hundreds: "100" = "a hundred" or "one hundred". "101" = "a hundred and one" (British) or "a hundred one" (American). For thousands: "2,500" = "two thousand five hundred" or "twenty-five hundred" (informal). For millions: "3,400,000" = "three million four hundred thousand". Never say "three millions" — million, thousand, and hundred do not take -s after a number.
Practice
How do you say "305" in British English?
2,000,000 is read as "two".
Put the words in the correct order to say 4,750,000:
Years up to 1999: split into two pairs. "1985" = "nineteen eighty-five". "1900" = "nineteen hundred". From 2000: "2000" = "two thousand"; "2005" = "two thousand and five" (British) or "twenty oh five" (informal). From 2010: both styles used: "2019" = "twenty nineteen" or "two thousand and nineteen". Dates: "15 March" = "the fifteenth of March" (British) or "March fifteenth" (American).
Practice
How is the year 1776 read aloud?
The date 14 February is read as "theof February" in British English.
Put the words in the correct order to say the date "5 November" in British English:
Fractions: numerator = cardinal, denominator = ordinal. "1/3" = "one third". "3/4" = "three quarters" (not "three fourths" in British English). "1/2" = "a half" or "one half". Decimals: say each digit after the point individually. "3.14" = "three point one four". Percentages: "75%" = "seventy-five percent". "0.5%" = "nought point five percent" (British) or "zero point five percent" (American).
Practice
How is 2/3 read aloud?
"3.75" is read as "three point".
Put the words in the correct order to say 1/4: