Is 'eleventh' only used as an adjective?

No, it can function as an adjective ('the eleventh day'), a noun ('he finished eleventh'), and an adverb ('he came eleventh').

Where does the idiom 'the eleventh hour' come from?

It originates from the Bible (Matthew 20:1-16, the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard), where workers hired at the eleventh hour (about 5 pm) were paid the same as those hired early.

How do you pronounce the 'nth' in 'eleventh'?

Practice saying 'ten-th' and then add the 'elev-' part. The tongue touches the back of the top teeth for the /n/ and then moves slightly back for the /θ/.

Is there a common mistake with 'eleventh' and 'eleven'?

Yes, learners sometimes say 'He is eleven in the family' instead of 'He is the eleventh child.' Remember 'eleven' is the number (11), 'eleventh' is the position (11th).

eˈleventh

UK/ɪˈlɛvnθ/US/ɪˈlɛvənθ/ /əˈlɛvənθ/

Neutral - common in both formal and informal contexts.

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

The ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number eleven; coming after the tenth.

Used to denote a position, a fraction (one part in eleven), or the final, often urgent moment before a deadline or event (as in 'the eleventh hour').

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Can function as a noun, adjective, and adverb. The phrase 'eleventh hour' is idiomatic, implying the very last possible moment.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant lexical differences. Spelling and usage are identical.

Connotations

Identical connotations in both varieties.

Frequency

Equally frequent in both BrE and AmE.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

eleventh houreleventh dayeleventh placeeleventh in line

medium

eleventh birthdayeleventh chaptereleventh attempt

weak

eleventh timeeleventh membereleventh item

Grammar

Valency Patterns

the [noun] eleventhbe eleventh [prepositional phrase]

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

penultimate? (contextual, only if out of twelve)

Neutral

11th

Weak

lateadvanced

Vocabulary

Antonyms

firsttenthtwelfth

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“at the eleventh hour”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

"The deal was finalised at the eleventh hour."

Academic

"The eleventh chapter discusses the implications of the findings."

Everyday

"It's my son's eleventh birthday next week."

Technical

"The data from the eleventh experimental trial confirmed the anomaly."

Examples

By Part of Speech

adverb

British English

He came eleventh in the race.

American English

The team ranked eleventh nationally.

adjective

British English

He finished in eleventh position.

American English

She is in the eleventh grade.

Examples

By CEFR Level

I have eleven pencils. This is the eleventh one.

Her office is on the eleventh floor of the building.

The negotiations succeeded only at the eleventh hour, avoiding a major crisis.

Being promoted to eleventh in the global rankings was a significant achievement for the young chess player.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of a football (soccer) team: there are 11 players on the pitch. The 'eleventh' player is the last one to be listed.

Conceptual Metaphor

TIME IS A PATH/SEQUENCE (being eleventh in a queue). DEADLINE IS A POINT IN TIME (the eleventh hour).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Direct translation is straightforward (одиннадцатый), but the idiom 'at the eleventh hour' does not translate literally. The Russian equivalent is 'в последний момент'.

Common Mistakes

Spelling: 'elevent' (missing 'h'), Pronunciation: /ɪˈlɛvən/ (confusing with the cardinal number).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

The rescue team arrived at the hour, just before the storm hit.

Multiple Choice

What does the idiom 'at the eleventh hour' mean?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No, it can function as an adjective ('the eleventh day'), a noun ('he finished eleventh'), and an adverb ('he came eleventh').
: It originates from the Bible (Matthew 20:1-16, the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard), where workers hired at the eleventh hour (about 5 pm) were paid the same as those hired early.
: Practice saying 'ten-th' and then add the 'elev-' part. The tongue touches the back of the top teeth for the /n/ and then moves slightly back for the /θ/.
: Yes, learners sometimes say 'He is eleven in the family' instead of 'He is the eleventh child.' Remember 'eleven' is the number (11), 'eleventh' is the position (11th).