So, the question at hand is whether it should be “50th” or “50st” – which one is correct? Well, let’s dive into it and explore the world of ordinal numbers.
Firstly, let’s establish what ordinal numbers are. Ordinal numbers are used to indicate the position or order of something in a series or sequence. They are the words used to represent the numerical ranking of something, like first, second, third, and so on.
Now, when it comes to the number 50, the correct ordinal form is “50th.” This is because in English, when we want to create the ordinal form of a number, we typically add “th” or “st” to the base number.
For numbers ending in 0, like 10th, 20th, 30th, and so on, we use “th” as the suffix. Similarly, for numbers ending in 1, we use “st” as the suffix, like 1st, 21st, 31st, and so on. The same pattern follows for other ending digits as well. For example:
– 2nd (second)
– 3rd (third)
– 4th (fourth)
– 5th (fifth)
– 6th (sixth)
– 7th (seventh)
– 8th (eighth)
– 9th (ninth)
As you can see, the suffix “th” is used for numbers ending in 0, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, while the suffix “st” is used for numbers ending in 1.
Now, let’s apply this rule to the number 50. Since it ends in 0, we follow the pattern and add “th” to the number, resulting in “50th.” Here are some examples of the correct usage:
– The 50th anniversary of their wedding is approaching.
– She came in 50th place in the marathon.
– It was the 50th time he had seen that movie.
– They celebrated their 50th birthday in style.
On the other hand, using “50st” would be incorrect and not in line with the rules of English grammar. The ending “st” is reserved for numbers ending in 1, as mentioned earlier. Using “50st” would be akin to saying “fifty first,” which is not the proper form.
To further illustrate the correct usage, let’s compare it to a familiar example. Imagine there is a race, and someone finishes in the first position. We say they came in “1st” place. Now, if 50 people took part in the race and someone finished in the fiftieth position, we would say they came in “50th” place. Just like the number 1 changes to “1st,” the number 50 changes to “50th.”
In conclusion, when expressing the ordinal form of the number 50, the correct usage is “50th.” Remember, the suffix “th” is used for numbers ending in 0, while the suffix “st” is used for numbers ending in 1. By understanding and applying this rule, you can confidently use ordinal numbers in your everyday English communication.