Last updated on July 4th, 2025
Counting in words means expressing numbers using written words instead of numerals. It enhances daily life skills such as writing checks, reading prices, and filling forms. In this article, we will discuss counting in words.
Counting in words means writing numbers in words, as we pronounce them in everyday life. Instead of using digits, we spell them out, such as “twenty-three” instead of 23 or “one hundred five” instead of 105. Counting in words helps children build a strong foundation in number order, whether they're counting forward or backward.
Counting in words from 1 to 100 involves writing each number in its word form. We start with ‘one’ and end with ‘one hundred’. The basic numbers used for learning this sequence include one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine. Nine is the largest single-digit number, and ninety-nine is the largest two-digit number. Observe the chart given below to learn to count in words up to a hundred.
Counting Roman numerals in words helps in identifying the symbols such as I, V, L, C, D, and M, and their values in written form. For example, I is ‘one’, V is ‘five’, L is ‘fifty’. These days, Roman Numerals are commonly used in clocks, book chapters, movie titles, and historical events. Writing Roman numerals in words helps in understanding their sequence and value, such as XII (twelve), XXV (twenty-five), or LXXX (eighty).
Skip counting in words means counting forward (or backward) by intervals other than one. It helps in recognizing number patterns, making calculations easier, and is widely used in multiplication, counting money, and grouping objects. For example, skip counting by 2s: two, four, six, eight… by 5s: five, ten, fifteen, twenty… and by 10s: ten, twenty, thirty…. This method enhances mental math skills and is essential for quick problem-solving in everyday situations.
In real life, counting in words is used for legal documents or large transactions in the bank. Here, we will be discussing the real life applications of counting in words -
Writing Checks and Financial Transactions:
To avoid fraudulent activities, mostly people write the amount both in words and figures in the banks. For example, “$1,250” in a check is also written as “One thousand two hundred fifty dollars.” It also prevents tampering, such as altering a digit to increase the value.
Legal Documents:
In legal documents, numbers are often written in words to prevent misinterpretation. For instance, when stating financial terms in a contract, a clause might read: "The purchase price shall be Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000)."
Numbering in Educational Systems:
Learning to count in words helps students understand place value, sequencing, and arithmetic operations.
Students may make mistakes while counting in words. Hence, it is important to discuss common mistakes students make and the solutions to avoid them. Some of them are given below:
Write the number 7 in words.
Seven
Recognize that 7 is a single-digit number.
The word form of 7 is seven.
Write the number 12 in words.
Twelve
12 is a two-digit number.
Numbers from 10 to 19 have specific names.
The word for 12 is “twelve.”
Write the number 21 in words.
Twenty-one
Split 21 into tens and units: 20 and 1.
The word for 20 is “twenty,” and for 1 is “one.”
Combine them using a hyphen for compound numbers.
Convert 45 to Words
Forty-five
Split 45 into tens and units: 40 and 5.
The word for 40 is “forty” (note the spelling) and for 5 is “five.”
Combine them as “forty-five.”
Write the number 99 in words.
Ninety-nine
Break down 99 into tens and units: 90 and 9.
The word for 90 is “ninety,” and for 9 is “nine.”
Write as “ninety-nine.”
Hiralee Lalitkumar Makwana has almost two years of teaching experience. She is a number ninja as she loves numbers. Her interest in numbers can be seen in the way she cracks math puzzles and hidden patterns.
: She loves to read number jokes and games.