English course

Lesson 16 of 240

New here? This is lesson 16 of a free 240-lesson English course.

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Bigger numbers in English

Ana is at the Blue Plate again. Dee puts a check on the counter. The number is bigger than ten.

Ana counts on her fingers and stops. She needs words for eleven, twenty-five, a hundred, and a thousand.

Murray sits on two stools and nods, as if he already knew the total.

By the end, you'll say these numbers and ask if a price is for one person or for everyone.

By the end of this lesson

Say numbers from eleven to a thousand and understand a bill.

  • That's eleven.The bill is eleven dollars.
  • Twenty-five dollars.You say this when the price is 25 dollars.
  • A hundred even.exactly one hundred dollars, no extra cents
  • Two hundred thirty.the number 230
  • A thousand.the number 1,000
  • Per person or total?Is this price for one person, or for everyone?

Scene — the check on the counter

Dee slides a paper check onto the counter. Ana looks at the number and starts to count on her fingers.

She gets past ten and then stops. Twenty-five is a new word for her.

Murray sits on two stools with his black coffee. He nods, as if he already knew the total. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.

Dee slides a blank check across the counter as Ana counts on her fingers and Murray sits with his coffee.

Learn — eleven to a thousand

Six short lines cover eleven, twenty-five, a hundred, two hundred thirty, and a thousand.

You'll also ask if a price is for one person or for everyone.

  1. Ana counts on her fingers above the blank check.

    That's eleven.

    The bill is eleven dollars.

    When to use it: Say this when the bill is eleven dollars.

    Learn it as one piece when the bill is eleven.

    Say it: That's starts with a th sound.

  2. Dee turns on the stool and gestures toward the larger price.

    Twenty-five dollars.

    You say this when the price is 25 dollars.

    When to use it: Say this when the price is twenty-five dollars.

    Learn it as one piece for the number twenty-five.

    Say it: Stress FIVE in twenty-five.

  3. Murray nods over his black coffee as though the total is familiar.

    A hundred even.

    exactly one hundred dollars, no extra cents

    When to use it: Say this for one hundred dollars with no extra cents.

    Learn it as one piece for a round hundred dollars.

    Say it: Hundred has stress on the first part.

  4. Dee leans over the counter and works out the amount on a blank slip.

    Two hundred thirty.

    the number 230

    When to use it: Say this for 230, not for two dollars thirty.

    Learn it as one piece and do not say two thirty.

  5. Murray spreads his arms wide while naming a very large amount.

    A thousand.

    the number 1,000

    When to use it: Say this for the number one thousand.

    Learn it as one piece for one thousand.

    Say it: Thousand starts with a th sound.

  6. Ana turns toward Dee and gestures between an individual price and the whole table.

    Per person or total?

    Is this price for one person, or for everyone?

    When to use it: Ask this when a price could be for one person or for all.

    Learn it as one piece when you see a bill.

Story — she counts on her fingers

Watch Ana look at the check. The number is bigger than ten, and she counts on her fingers.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Dee sets a paper check on the counter.
  2. DeeTwenty-five dollars.You say this when the price is 25 dollars.
  3. AnaThat's eleven.The bill is eleven dollars.
  4. Ana holds up her fingers and stops.
  5. DeeNo, hon. Twenty-five dollars.She says no, then the price is 25 dollars.
  6. AnaPer person or total?Is this price for one person, or for everyone?
  7. DeeTotal, hon. Twenty-five dollars.She says the 25 dollars is for everyone.
  8. AnaA hundred even?exactly one hundred dollars, no extra cents
  9. DeeNo, hon.She says that number is wrong.
  10. MurrayWell, two hundred thirty.the number 230
  11. AnaA thousand?the number 1,000
  12. DeeJust twenty-five dollars, hon.She says the price is 25 dollars, nothing more.
  13. Murray nods, as if he already knew.
  14. MurrayTwenty-five dollars.You say this when the price is 25 dollars.
  15. AnaThank you.you say this when someone helps you

Practice — the number on the check

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    Twenty-five dollars.Drop the Simple English here
    A hundred even.Drop the Simple English here
    Two hundred thirty.Drop the Simple English here
    A thousand.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    Dee puts a check for 25 dollars in front of you. Say the price.

  4. What does it mean?

    A hundred even.

  5. Fill the gap

    the number 230

    Two hundred ____.

  6. Build the line

    Is this price for one person, or for everyone?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Dee says:

    Twenty-five dollars, hon.

    You say this when the price is 25 dollars.

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    You mean the number 1,000, not 100.

    A ____.

  9. True or false?

    This line means two dollars and thirty cents.

  10. Pick the reply

    Dee says:

    Here's your check, hon. Twenty-five dollars.

    She gives you a bill for twenty-five dollars.

    And you reply with:

  11. Pick the reply

    Murray says:

    Thank you.

    you say this when someone helps you

    And you reply with:

Say it — say the total

Now you're Ana at the counter with the check. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. DeeTwenty-five dollars.You say this when the price is 25 dollars.
  2. Ana (you)Tell her you think the bill is eleven dollars.

    That's eleven.

    The bill is eleven dollars.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
That's eleven.The bill is eleven dollars.
Twenty-five dollars.You say this when the price is 25 dollars.
A hundred even.exactly one hundred dollars, no extra cents
Two hundred thirty.the number 230
A thousand.the number 1,000
Per person or total?Is this price for one person, or for everyone?
Next: lesson 17One cup, one bowl

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