Numbers 1–20

The numbers 1 through 20 are the building blocks for counting, telling time, and doing basic math in English. They also help you understand larger numbers and express ideas clearly.

Number Words

The numbers 1–20 each have their own unique English word. Here they are, along with their part of speech:

English Word	Part of Speech	Example Sentence
one	numeral	I have one apple.
two	numeral	She has two cats.
three	numeral	We need three chairs.
four	numeral	Four people are coming.
five	numeral	There are five books on the table.
six	numeral	He is six years old.
seven	numeral	There are seven days in a week.
eight	numeral	I ate eight cookies.
nine	numeral	The clock shows nine o’clock.
ten	numeral	Ten is a round number.
eleven	numeral	Eleven players are on a soccer team.
twelve	numeral	Twelve months make a year.
thirteen	numeral	Thirteen is considered an unlucky number.
fourteen	numeral	She finished the race in fourteen minutes.
fifteen	numeral	The class starts at fifteen past eight.
sixteen	numeral	He turned sixteen yesterday.
seventeen	numeral	Seventeen students passed the exam.
eighteen	numeral	You must be eighteen to vote.
nineteen	numeral	Nineteen is one less than twenty.
twenty	numeral	Twenty is two times ten.

Example Sentences

You can use numbers 1–20 in many everyday situations, such as talking about age, time, quantity, and order. Here are some examples:

Number	English Word	Example Sentence
	one	One day, I will travel the world.
	two	I have two brothers.
	three	We need three eggs for the recipe.
	four	Four seasons make a year.
	five	She can count to five in Spanish.
	six	Six is a perfect number in math.
	seven	Seven colors make a rainbow.
	eight	The spider has eight legs.
	nine	Nine is a square number (3×3).
	ten	Ten fingers help us count easily.
	eleven	Eleven players are on the field.
	twelve	Twelve is a dozen.
	thirteen	Thirteen candles were on the cake.
	fourteen	Fourteen is two times seven.
	fifteen	The bus arrives at fifteen minutes past nine.
	sixteen	Sixteen students are in my class.
	seventeen	She is seventeen years old.
	eighteen	Eighteen is the age of adulthood in many countries.
	nineteen	Nineteen is a prime number.
	twenty	Twenty people attended the meeting.

What English word completes this sentence: She can count to five in _____.

German

Spanish

French

English

Spanish

'Spanish' is the correct answer from the example sentence: 'She can count to five in Spanish.'

Common Questions

Here are some common questions people ask using numbers 1–20, along with example responses:

Question	Example Question	Example Response
Counting	What comes after fifteen?	Sixteen comes after fifteen.
Quantity	How many apples do you want?	I want three apples.
Age	How old are you?	I am fourteen years old.
Time	What time is it?	It’s seven o’clock.
Order	What is your favorite number?	My favorite number is ten.

What English word completes this question: What is your _____ number?

chosen

favorite

lucky

best

favorite

'Favorite' is the specific adjective in the question 'What is your favorite number?' from the example.

What English word completes this question: How many apples do you _____?

want

have

see

want

'Want' is the correct verb in the question 'How many apples do you want?' from the example.

Tips for Learning

Practice counting out loud from 1 to 20.
Use numbers in sentences about your daily life.
Write down numbers and their English words.
Notice patterns in the teens (thirteen, fourteen, etc.).
Remember that “eleven” and “twelve” are unique words (not “oneteen” or “twoteen”).

You’ve now learned the numbers 1–20 in English, along with examples and tips to use them confidently. Keep practicing and soon you’ll be ready for higher numbers!

Number: 1
Part of Speech: numeral
Example Sentence: I have one apple.

English Word: one