twenty-nine
A2Neutral (used across all registers from formal to informal)
Definition
Meaning
The cardinal number equivalent to the sum of twenty and nine, represented by 29.
Referring to something quantified as 29, such as age, quantity, or position in a sequence.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A numeral from 20 to 99, following the pattern of a multiple of ten plus a single-digit unit. The stress typically falls on the first syllable of each component word.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in the numeral itself. The hyphenation is standard in both varieties.
Connotations
None specific to either variety.
Frequency
Identically frequent as a basic number.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be + twenty-nineat + twenty-ninenumber + twenty-nineVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Twenty-nine and holding (humorous expression for someone reluctant to admit being over 29)”
- “The twenty-ninth of the month (specific date reference)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The project will be delivered in twenty-nine days."
Academic
"The sample size was twenty-nine participants."
Everyday
"I'll be twenty-nine on my next birthday."
Technical
"The error code twenty-nine indicates a driver issue."
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- She bought twenty-nine stamps.
- He scored twenty-nine points.
American English
- She bought twenty-nine stamps.
- He scored twenty-nine points.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I am twenty-nine years old.
- There are twenty-nine students in my class.
- The recipe calls for twenty-nine grams of sugar.
- Twenty-nine of the thirty applicants passed the initial test.
- The treaty was signed by twenty-nine sovereign nations.
- At twenty-nine, she had already published her third novel.
- The margin of victory was a mere twenty-nine votes, triggering an automatic recount.
- The study tracked participants for twenty-nine consecutive months.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine two (twen-) knees (sound of 'ty-nine') together; that's 29.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS A PATH/SCALE (e.g., approaching thirty on the number line).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Direct translation 'двадцать девять' is accurate. No trap. Ensure correct word order when used as an adjective (e.g., 'twenty-nine books' - двадцать девять книг).
Common Mistakes
- Writing as 'twenty nine' without a hyphen (less common but sometimes accepted in open form for the numeral).
- Mispronouncing /ˈtwenti/ as /ˈtweni/.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the correct written form of the number after twenty-eight?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, numerals from twenty-one to ninety-nine are hyphenated when written as words.
In careful speech, it's /t/. In rapid American speech, it often sounds like a flap /ɾ/ or is elided, sounding like 'twenny' /ˈtwɛni/.
Yes, e.g., 'Twenty-nine is a prime number.'
Twenty-eight comes before it, and thirty comes after it.