No -s after exact numbers · add -s + of for vague quantities · British "and" rule
In English, hundred / thousand / million / billion never change their form when an exact number precedes them. But when you mean a vague, unknown quantity — the Bulgarian стотици, хиляди, милиони — add -s + of.
| 1 | → one billion |
| 239 | → two hundred and thirty-nine million |
| 493 | → four hundred and ninety-three thousand |
| 212 | → two hundred and twelve |
| Digits | British English words |
|---|---|
| 315 | three hundred and fifteen |
| 2,050 | two thousand and fifty |
| 12,500 | twelve thousand five hundred |
| 250,000 | two hundred and fifty thousand |
| 1,000,000 | one million |
| 4,500,000 | four million five hundred thousand |
| 1,000,000,000 | one billion |
Only the last word changes — everything before stays cardinal
Ordinal numbers give position or rank. For large numbers, only the final word takes the ordinal form. All other words before it stay in their normal (cardinal) form.
| Digits | Ordinal in words | Rule applied |
|---|---|---|
| 100th | one hundredth | hundred + th |
| 101st | one hundred and first | last word = first |
| 312th | three hundred and twelfth | last word = twelfth |
| 250th | two hundred and fiftieth | last word = fiftieth |
| 1,000th | one thousandth | thousand + th |
| 1,001st | one thousand and first | last word = first |
| 1,000,000th | one millionth | million + th |
How high / long / deep / wide / big — adjective goes at the END of the answer
To ask about the size of a geographical feature, use How + adjective + is/are + subject? In the answer, the dimension adjective always comes at the end, after the measurement.
| Dimension | Question word | Question | Answer pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | high / tall | How high is Ben Nevis? | It is 1,345 metres high. |
| Length | long | How long is the Amazon? | It is 6,400 km long. |
| Depth | deep | How deep is the Pacific? | It is 11,000 metres deep. |
| Width | wide | How wide is the Channel? | It is 34 km wide. |
| General size | big / large | How big is Scotland? | Scotland is 78,772 km² in area. |
-ED = how a person feels · -ING = what causes the feeling
Both -ED and -ING adjectives come from the same verb but describe completely different things. Mixing them up is one of the most common A2 mistakes.
Three sounds: /ɪd/ · /t/ · /d/ — the rule depends on the final sound of the root
The letters -ed do not always sound the same. There are three possible pronunciations. The rule depends on the final sound of the root verb — not the spelling.
| Sound | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| /ɪd/ | Root ends in a T or D sound → adds an extra syllable | excited /ɪkˈsaɪ.tɪd/ · disappointed /ˌdɪs.əˈpɔɪn.tɪd/ |
| /t/ | Root ends in a voiceless sound (K, P, F, S, SH, CH) | relaxed /rɪˈlækst/ · washed /wɒʃt/ |
| /d/ | Root ends in a voiced sound or vowel | bored /bɔːd/ · amazed /əˈmeɪzd/ |
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It stands at one thousand, three hundred and forty-five metres above sea level and is located in the Scottish Highlands. Every year, thousands of walkers attempt to reach the summit. The most popular route is a rocky path called the Pony Track, which takes most people between six and eight hours to complete. The climb is very tiring, and many walkers feel exhausted by the time they reach the top. However, on a clear day, the view from the summit is truly amazing. You can see deep green valleys stretching far below and, on the best days, the distant blue of the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain is never boring for those who love the outdoors.
1. How high is Ben Nevis?
2. What is the Pony Track?
3. How do many walkers feel when they reach the top?
4. Which adjective is used to describe the view from the summit?
It is a freezing Friday afternoon in January, and two friends — Martin and Elena — are standing on the shore of a large frozen lake near Plovdiv. The sky above them is a dark, heavy grey, and thick snow is falling steadily over the surrounding hills. Martin is wearing a long blue winter coat, black boots, and a green wool scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. He is shivering, stamping his feet, and blowing on his hands to keep warm. He feels cold, tired, and deeply annoyed. Elena, on the other hand, is wearing a bright yellow jacket and a red knitted hat. She is smiling broadly and pointing at a small frozen waterfall at the edge of the nearby forest. She thinks the landscape is absolutely amazing and is not cold at all. She takes out her phone and starts taking photographs.
1. What colour is Martin's scarf?
2. What is Elena pointing at?
3. How does Martin feel?
4. What does Elena think of the landscape?
Hawaii is a group of volcanic islands located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, thousands of kilometres from the nearest continent. The largest island is home to Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano that rises four thousand, two hundred and five metres above sea level. If you measure it from the ocean floor, it is actually the tallest mountain on Earth. The coastline is stunning: black volcanic cliffs drop steeply into deep blue water, and wide sandy beaches stretch along the shore. However, the most frightening feature is Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes. It has been erupting almost continuously since nineteen eighty-three, and millions of tourists visit it every year, both amazed and slightly frightened by the sight of flowing lava.
1. How high is Mauna Kea above sea level?
2. What colour are the volcanic cliffs?
3. Since what year has Kīlauea been erupting?
4. How do tourists feel when they see the lava?
The Amazon is the largest river in the world by volume of water, carrying more water to the sea than the next seven biggest rivers combined. It runs for approximately six thousand, four hundred kilometres through the heart of South America, passing through Brazil, Peru, and Colombia. The surrounding Amazon jungle — often called the rainforest — is the most biodiverse place on Earth. Scientists believe it contains millions of species of plants and animals, many of which have never been identified. Exploring it is both exciting and frightening: the jungle is hot, wet, and extremely tiring to move through. Hundreds of indigenous communities have lived in the Amazon region for thousands of years. Unfortunately, large areas of the forest are being cut down every day, and millions of people around the world are deeply worried and disappointed by this destruction.
1. How long is the Amazon River approximately?
2. Which country does the Amazon NOT pass through?
3. How does the text describe exploring the jungle?
4. How do many people feel about the destruction of the forest?
Last summer, I climbed a mountain in Bulgaria. The peak stands at two (1) two hundred metres above sea level. The climb was (2) — it took eight hours and the path was very steep.
On the way up, (3) other walkers passed us. We felt (4) when we finally reached the top. The view was absolutely (5) — we could see (6) square kilometres of landscape.
We asked a fellow walker how (7) the mountain was, and she said it was two thousand two hundred metres (8). There was a small lake nearby — someone told us it was forty metres (9).
The descent was (10) on our knees. By the time we reached the valley, we were completely (11). But it was worth it — one of the best days of my life.