Numbers 1 to 20 in English

The tricky numbers

• Eleven and twelve have their own names. They do not follow "ten-one, ten-two", so they need extra practice.
• Thirteen to nineteen end in "-teen". Three becomes thir-teen and five becomes fif-teen (not "fiveteen"). Eighteen has only one t.
• Thirteen or thirty? In the "-teen" numbers the end is strong: thir-TEEN. In thirty the start is strong: THIR-ty. Clap on the strong part together.
• Say the last sound clearly: fiv(e), six (ks), seven, eigh(t). Children who speak Vietnamese at home often drop end sounds, and English needs them.

Practise at home in five minutes

• Count real things: stairs, spoons, toy cars. Touch each one as you say the number.
• Use fingers up to ten, then add a second pile of objects for eleven to twenty.
• Pick a "number of the day" and look for it on clocks, doors and buses.

Questions

Why don't eleven and twelve sound like "ten-one" and "ten-two"?

They come from very old English words and kept their own names. From thirteen on, the "-teen" pattern starts. Practise eleven and twelve on their own until they feel easy.

How can my child hear the difference between thirteen and thirty?

Listen for the strong part. Thirteen is strong at the end (thir-TEEN); thirty is strong at the start (THIR-ty). Clapping on the strong part helps.

Does Number Island go past 20?

No. Number Island covers 0 to 20. Math Island then uses these numbers for number order, more and fewer, making five and ten, and first adding and taking away.