Ordinal Numbers

To form an ordinal number (ordinal numbers put things in order), add the ending -th to the cardinal number.


seven–>seventh
thirteen–>thirteenth


When a cardinal number ends in -y, the -y changes to -ie before adding -th.


twenty–>twentieth
sixty–>sixtieth


Note the following exceptions: first, second, third (sometimes abbreviated as 1st, 2nd, 3rd) and fifth, ninth, twelfth.


twenty-first
forty-third
sixty-fifth


All others are abbreviated as follows: 4th, 5th, 20th, etc.

Numbers (1-100)

Counting to 100 follows a pattern in English once the basic units are learned:


1 one             11 eleven
2 two             12 twelve
3 three           13 thirteen
4 four            14 fourteen
5 five             15 fifteen
6 six              16 sixteen
7 seven          17 seventeen
8 eight           18 eighteen
9 nine            19 nineteen
10 ten            20 twenty


21 twenty-one          57 fifty-seven
22 twenty-two          60 sixty
30 thirty                   68 sixty-eight
33 thirty-three          70 seventy
34 thirty-four           79 seventy-nine
40 forty                   80 eighty
45 forty-five            90 ninety
46 forty-six             99 ninety-nine
50 fifty                   100 one hundred


Note that to count from 20—99, all you have to do is add a hyphen (-) and the second number: 33 = thirty + (-) + three.

Numbers (101–1,000,000)

Here's the system for counting from 100—999:
–number + hundred + number
(650= six hundred fifty)


1000—99,999:
–number + thousand + number + hundred + number
(7,888 = seven thousand eight hundred eighty-eight)


100,000—999,999:
–number + hundred + thousand + number + hundred + number
(565,332 = five hundred sixty-five thousand three hundred thirty-two)


NOTE: Follow the same system for numbers exceeding one million.


1,000,000 = one million
1,000,000,000 = one billion

Telling Time

In the U.S., time is usually told on the 12, rather than 24-hour clock. Distinctions between morning, afternoon, and evening are made by adding a.m. or p.m. 2 p.m. is therefore two o'clock in the afternoon; 6 a.m. is six o'clock in the morning.

HERE ARE SOME USEFUL EXPRESSIONS RELATED TO TIME:


–What time is it? - It's 11 p.m.
–Do you have the time? - Yes, it's 12 noon.
–What time should I arrive? - Around 3 p.m.
–How much time will it take? -No more than 20 minutes.


When referring to 12:00 at night, you can say midnight. When referring to 12:00 during the day, you can say noon.


Here are some examples of how to express time in English, using quarter-hour and half-hour expressions:


–If it's 10:15 you could say either
It's quarter past (after) ten.
OR: It's ten fifteen.

–If it's 5:30, you could say either
It's half past five.
OR: It's five thirty.


–If it's 8:45, you could say either
It's quarter till nine.
OR: It's eight forty-five.


For all other times, simply list the hour first, then the number of minutes:


It's 3:25 = It's three twenty-five.

It's 10:35 = It's ten thirty-five
OR: It's twenty-five till eleven.

Expectation and Should

In a previous section, you learned how should can be used to express advisability:
–The front desk clerk should give us a discount.

Another way should can be used is in expressions of expectation:
–They have been working hard. They should do well.


(In this example, should means will probably.)


The past form (should have) means that the speaker expected something that did not happen:
–I haven't heard anything from them. They should have called by now.

Expressing Necessity

Must/Have To/Have Got To


Must and have to both express necessity:


–You must fill out this form.
–You have to pick up Mr. Roberts.


In some situations, must is more urgent or stronger than have to:


–You must be here for your appointment on time. I have a busy schedule today.
–You have to take another course next year.


The expression have got to is similar in meaning to must and have to but is reserved for spoken English:


–I have got to study more. (i.e., I must study more.)

May and Might

Using May and Might



Two other important modal verbs are may and might. The two are used interchangeably in standard American English to express probability or possibility:


–You may be wrong.
–You might be wrong.
–The attorney might be late.
–The attorney may be late.


The past form is expressed as follows:


modal (may/might) + have + past participle


–I may/might have left my glasses in the restaurant.


NOTE: Must can also be used to express probability:
–The plane must be leaving now.


Progressive Forms of May and Might



THE PAST PROGRESSIVE FORMS OF MAY AND MIGHT ARE FORMED BY ADDING HAVE BEEN + THE -ING FORM OF THE MAIN VERB.


–I didn't see them at the hotel. They may have been having dinner.
–The mail didn't arrive on time. The mailman might have been having trouble with his car.


THE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE FORMS OF MAY AND MIGHT ARE FORMED BY ADDING BE + THE -ING FORM OF THE MAIN VERB.


–We may be calling you in the morning.
–They might be visiting the U.S. this time next year.


NOTE: When must means necessity, the past form is had to. When it means probability, the past is must have + past participle.

Past of Should

The Past Form of Should



To form the past of should simply add have + past participle:


–I missed my plane this morning. I should have left earlier.
–I can't find a hotel room. I should have made a reservation.


The past form of should conveys the notion of a failure or omission. Note that the customary pronunciation of should have is should've or shouda. The negative form is should not have, pronounced in colloquial English as shouldn't've or shouldn't'a.

Paying For Things

When paying for things in the U.S., you will be quoted a price in dollars ($) and cents (¢). Sometimes the words dollar and cents are used, but more often you will hear:
–How much is it?
–$29.95 (Twenty-nine ninety-five)
OR: (Twenty-nine dollars and ninety-five cents)


–What does it cost?
–$100.00*
OR: (One hundred dollars)


*NOTE: Usually, when the price is an even amount—dollars and no cents—the word dollars is kept.

Sense Verbs

(To Taste, Feel, Smell)



Verbs related to the senses (to taste, feel, and smell) are treated somewhat differently in terms of modifiers. Instead of an adverb, use the equivalent adjective to describe how something tastes, feels, or smells:


–These flowers smell good. (not well)
–I feel bad. (not badly, although you will hear this)
–My salad tastes good. (not well)


NOTE: Adjectives are used because attention is being drawn to the quality of the noun or pronoun subject, not to the verb. If you said She smells well instead of She smells good, you would be emphasizing her ability to smell something, not how she smells.

Using Could

Could is used in two ways in English:


1) Past ability:


–I can speak English now. I couldn't when I was a child.

2) Polite questions:


–Could I borrow your car?
–Could you speak slower?
–Could we check out later?


Note that could is the simple past form of the verb can. The negative form of it is couldn't (could not).

Using Should

One of the meanings of the modal auxiliary should is advisability:


–You should leave right now.
–They should fill out this form.


You can also express the same idea using either ought to or had better:


–You ought to leave right now.
(You had better leave....)

–They ought to fill out this form.
(They had better fill out....)


Should and ought to both mean that something is a good idea. Had better is usually stronger, implying a warning of bad consequences.


The negative of should is shouldn't. Ought to is not usually used in the negative. Often you will hear people pronounce ought to as otta.

Using Would

The modal auxiliary would is used in three different contexts:


1. EXPRESSING PREFERENCE:
–I would rather visit Los Angeles. (I'd rather... )
(Would rather means prefer.)


2. EXPRESSING REPEATED ACTION IN THE PAST:
–When she was alive, Aunt Stephanie would visit the West Coast.
(Would is used with regularly repeated actions in the past.)


When used to express a repeated action in the past, would often takes the place of used to:
–When they were students, they would go skiing every winter.


ALSO:

When they were students, they used to go skiing every winter.


However, when used to refers to a situation that existed (but was not necessarily repeated) in the past, would may not serve as a replacement:


–Aunt Stephanie used to live in Chicago.


NOT:
–Aunt Stephanie would live in Chicago.


3. POLITE REQUESTS


–I would appreciate hearing from you soon.
(Would is frequently used with polite requests.)


Would can also be used in conditional sentences:


–If I had more time, I would read the instructions carefully.

Verbs and Infinitives

Verbs Followed by Infinitives



Here is list of common verbs that are usually followed immediately by an infinitive:

hope               offer         seem
agree              forget        appear
remember       expect        want
promise           decide        need
ask                  refuse


Examples:


–She hopes to leave soon.
–They want to buy a car.


Verbs that are followed by a pronoun (or noun) + infinitive are:


tell               warn              force
remind         permit           order
advise          allow             expect
encourage     require          want


NOTE: The negative form of a verb followed by an infinitive follows:


–He asked them not to smoke.


(Note that the not comes before the infinitive.)