30th or 30rd – Which is Correct?

30th or 30rd – Which is Correct?

Have you ever found yourself in a dilemma when it comes to writing the date in ordinal form? Is it proper to write “30th” or “30rd”? This question often arises, causing confusion among native English speakers and learners alike. In order to clear up any uncertainty, let’s learn the topic and explore the correct usage of these ordinal forms.

Firstly, it is important to understand the basic rules of forming ordinal numbers. Ordinals are used to express position or rank in a sequence. In regular cases, we add “th” to the end of numbers (except for “1st” and “2nd”) to denote their ordinal form. For example, we write “4th” for “fourth” and “11th” for “eleventh”. However, when it comes to numbers ending in “0”, things can become a bit more complicated.

When the number ends in “0”, such as “30”, it is acceptable to write the ordinal form with just the “th” ending. Therefore, the correct way to write “30” in ordinal form is “30th”. This follows the general rule of adding “th” to most numbers to indicate their ordinality.

To further understand this convention, let’s look at a few examples. Suppose you are referring to the 20th of September, you would write it as “20th September”. Similarly, if you want to mention the 10th day of the month, it will be written as “10th”. These examples demonstrate the consistent pattern of using “th” as the suffix for most ordinal numbers.

On the other hand, using the “rd” suffix after “30” is incorrect. The use of “rd” is only reserved for numbers that end in “3”. For instance, we write “3rd” for “third” and “23rd” for “twenty-third”. This suffix is not appropriate for any other numbers ending in different digits.

Let’s compare both options in the context of a sentence to highlight the correct usage. Consider the following example: “She will be celebrating her _____ birthday on the 30th of November.” In this case, the correct choice would be “30th”, as we are using the “th” ending to denote the ordinal form of the number. By writing “30th”, we accurately indicate the position of the birthday in the sequence of days.

In summary, when it comes to writing ordinals for numbers ending in “0”, such as “30”, the correct form is to add the suffix “th”. This aligns with the general rule of adding “th” to most numbers to express ordinality. Therefore, “30th” is the proper way to write the ordinal form of “30”. Avoid using “30rd” or any other suffix, as they are incorrect and may lead to confusion.

Remember, mastering the correct usage of ordinals helps convey information accurately in written English. So, the next time you need to express a position or rank in a sequence, confidently write “30th” and avoid the pitfalls of using incorrect ordinal forms.