Lesson Plan for Using Large Numbers

Many foreigners seem to have trouble using big numbers (over 10 thousand) in English. It is really quite easy once you get the hang of it. The secret is to look at the comma separators and place divisions in large numbers. Numbers below 1000 are easy.

5= five           73= seventy three           129= one hundred and twenty nine

In using large numbers, you are basically repeating this simple process, but between the comma separators you include additional words for the place divisions. These words are thousand, million, billion, trillion, and zillion.

77,503,911=
seventy seven million, five hundred and three thousand, nine hundred and eleven

In this digit,
1- say the basic number before the first comma (77),
2- add the place division word (million),
3- say the basic number before the second comma (503)
4- say the place division word (thousand),
5- then say the small number (911)

Practice saying these numbers with your partner.

12,567 343,756 24,457, 800

458,903,111 123,456,789 6,840,678,236

45,693,777,043 543,867,903,040

111,222,333,444,555 56,583,694,784,223,275

In very, very large (or small) numbers scientific notation is used.

The number 15 X 10⁴ is read as: 15 times 10 to the fourth.
The small number 22 X 10^–5 is read as 22 times 10 to the negative fifth.

Other Links for Expressing Numbers     
XX Expressing Numbers
XX Saying Numbers
XX Large Numbers

To find conversation activities for using large numbers
and dialogues about using large numbers take a look at:

Conversation Made Easy

OR

Talk, Talk, Talk

English conversation activities on using large numbers in English- yadayadaenglish.com.com