Determiners: Numerals and Ordinals

Syllabus tag: Kenya CBC | Grade 9 English | Theme 10.0 Social and Mass Media | Strand 10.3 Grammar | Sub-Strand 10.3.1 Determiners: Numerals and Ordinals (2 Lessons)

Lesson objectives

By the end of this sub-strand, you should be able to:

• Explain what a determiner is and identify the main types.
• Distinguish cardinal numerals from ordinal numerals.
• Use numerals and ordinals correctly before nouns.
• Apply the conventions for writing numbers in continuous prose.

Summary

A determiner is a word placed before a noun to identify or quantify it. Numerals are the determiners that count. Cardinal numerals give quantity: one, two, fifteen, two hundred. Ordinal numerals give position in a sequence: first, second, fifteenth, two hundredth. Both function as determiners, both follow fixed spelling patterns, and both carry conventions about when to write the word and when to use the figure, which matter particularly in media writing.