Cardinal and ordinal numbers Waclaw Sierpinski
Publisher: PWN, Warsaw

In the first example, the ordinal number first precedes the cardinal number two. Press the link and practice your pronunciation!!! In the second example, the ordinal number second precedes the cardinal number three. Print After a noun we usually use a cardinal number (e.g. Compare: the third chapter – Chapter Three; the fifth act – Act Five. They suggest that the usage of ordinal numbers (first, second, third, fourth etc.) rather than cardinals denotes different eras of time and thus the first era (day) is followed by the second era (day) etc. Cardinal numbers (“nombres cardinaux” : 1, 2, 3… un, deux, trois… one, two, three…) are used to tell a quantity. Both first and two are determiners. One, two, three etc) instead of an ordinal number (e.g.first, second, third etc). Counting should give children a feel for number and the confidence to calculate and handle bigger numbers in later years, but invariably many children struggle to wean themselves off counting on their fingers (often under desks) when working out an addition or multiplication. The cardinal and ordinal aspects of counting are identified, but what is missing is any idea of progression or of reference to research in how and what to teach for children to count fluently. Here you have a link with the cardinal and ordinal numbers spelling & writing in English. Cardinal numbers vs Ordinal Numbers.