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Ordinals
Ordinal numbers express ranking rather than quantity. They can be spelled out (first, second) or written as a numeral with a suffix (20th, 21st). Ordinal letters are the suffixes after the numeral (th, st). In general, treat ordinals the same as regular numbers: Spell out “first” through “ninth,” and use numerals for “10th” and above. When you have a mixture of ordinals below and above nine, use numerals.
The fourth patient was admitted in critical condition.
The 5th and the 12th patients showed similar symptoms.
The 12th patient died shortly after his arrival.
(Source: CDC Style Guide)
Note that the ordinal letters above are not in superscript, which is tiny and hard to read (Source: Chicago Manual of Style). If your version of Word defaults to superscript, there’s an easy fix:
- File
- Options
- Proofing
- AutoCorrect options
- Uncheck “Ordinals (1st) with superscript”
Here’s another useful ordinal tip: Dates don’t take ordinal letters. Even though you pronounce them, they don’t need to be spelled out.
She was born on April 24, 1982.
The webinar is on December 5.
If you’d like a deeper dive into ordinals, Grammarly has a more detailed roundup.