Big Numbers- American and British English
A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS
How to say hundreds, thousands, millions and billions in the US and UK
Lesson Plan Content:
Big numbers in British and American English
Match the written numbers to a) or b) in each exampl
An old British billion was one million millio
a) 1,000,000,000
b) 1,000,000,000,000
But nowadays the American billion has become standard. Nonetheless, in a British context you can make yourself totally clear by just saying a thousand million for the same amount
a) 1,000,000,000
b) 1,000,000,000,000
In British English, it is common the use the word ‘and’ in numbers such as one hundred and twenty three
a) 23
b) 123
Moving such numbers does not change how the ‘and’ is used, as in a hundred and twenty three thousand
a) 123,000
b) 1,023
There might even be two or more “and”s in the same number, for example in one hundred and three thousand and thirty three
a) 33,103
b) 103,033
What is the general rule for where the word “and” can be put in numbers?
Say all the numbers above without looking at the written descriptions.
Say the following numbers, practicing using the word “and” in the right place when it can be used (even if it is also correct without):
2007
1,302
123,456,789,012
1,200
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Answer key
An old British billion was one million million
1,000,000,000
1,000,000,000,000
But nowadays the American billion has become standard. Nonetheless, in a British context you can make yourself totally clear by just saying a thousand million for the same amount
1,000,000,000
1,000,000,000,000
In British English, it is common the use the word ‘and’ in numbers such as one hundred and twenty three
23
123
Moving such numbers does not change how the ‘and’ is used, as in a hundred and twenty three thousand
123,000
1,023
There might even be several “and”s in the same number, for example in one hundred and three thousand and thirty three
33,103
103,033
What is the general rule for where the word “and” can be put in numbers?
In a three or five digit number (or a three digit part of a larger number), the “and” comes between the hundreds and tens. This is true even when the hundreds and or tens are zero, e.g. in “one thousand and one” (1,001).
Say the following numbers, practicing using the word ‘and’ in the right place when it can be used:
2007 – two thousand and seven
1,302 – one thousand three hundred and two
123,456,789,012 – one hundred and twenty three billion, four hundred and fifty six million, seven hundred and eight nine thousand and twelve
1,200 – one thousand two hundred (not possible to put an “and” in it)
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