The years Rules / Examples
Years are normally divided into two parts:the first two digits and the last two digits.
1986 is divided into 19 and 86 so you would say nineteen eighty-six.
- 1052 = ten fifty-two
- 1666 = sixteen sixty-six
- 1942 = nineteen forty-two
- 2015 = twenty fifteen
How to say the years after 2000
For the year 2000 you say (the year) two thousand.
For the years 2001 to 2010, the most common way of saying the year is two thousand and + number.
- 2001 = two thousand and one
- 2002 = two thousand and two
- 2003 = two thousand and three
- 2004 = two thousand and four
- 2005 = two thousand and five
- 2006 = two thousand and six
- 2007 = two thousand and seven
- 2008 = two thousand and eight
- 2008 = two thousand and nine
For the first years after 2010 you may hear two different alternatives.
2012 – Some people say
- two thousand and twelve while others say
- twenty twelve.
They are both used and both correct.
Years from the first decade of each century
When a year ends in a number between 01 and 09, for example 1705, then that last part is pronounced as the name of the letter O + number.
- 1506 = fifteen O six
- 1704 = seventeen O four
- 1902 = nineteen O two
When a year ends in 00 (e.g. 1600) then the year is said as the digits before 00 and then hundred.
- 1300 = thirteen hundred
- 1700 = seventeen hundred
- 1800 = eighteen hundred
When people refer to the entire century, an S is added to the end.
The 1500s = the fifteen hundreds (=1500-1599)
The 1800s = the eighteen hundreds (=1800-1899)
Of course you can also say the 16th century and 19th century.
Exercises - The years
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1) Eighteen ninety-nine = 1899 899 1999
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2) Twenty ten = 1010 10 2010
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3) Twenty seventeen = 2007 2017 2917
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4) Two thousand twenty-one = 20108 2000 2021
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5) Two-thousand = 200 1000 2000
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6) Seventeen twenty-three = 1977 1700 1723
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7) Nineteen twenty-three = 1883 1923 1783
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8) Nineteen hundred = 900 1900 90
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9) Nineteen eighty-two = 1982 2002 1882
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10) Two thousand nine = 2000 2009 209
