twenty-seventh
B1Formal/Neutral
Definition
Meaning
The ordinal number corresponding to twenty-seven; constituting number twenty-seven in a sequence.
One of twenty-seven equal parts of a whole (1/27). The position, item, or person occupying this place in a series. Can refer to a specific day of the month.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically functions as an ordinal adjective (the twenty-seventh day) or noun (the twenty-seventh of May). In fractions, 'twenty-seventh' is used as a noun (one twenty-seventh).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in usage. Both treat the ordinal identically. Potential minor spelling difference in hyphenation style guides, but 'twenty-seventh' is standard in both.
Connotations
None specific to either variety.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties due to its fundamental, numerical nature.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the twenty-seventh of + MONTHon the twenty-seventhhis/her twenty-seventh + NOUN (e.g., birthday)the twenty-seventh + NOUN in a seriesVocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The report is due on the twenty-seventh of the month."
Academic
"The twenty-seventh iteration of the experiment yielded consistent results."
Everyday
"My flight is booked for the twenty-seventh."
Technical
"Calculate one twenty-seventh of the total volume."
Examples
By Part of Speech
adverb
British English
- He finished twenty-seventh in the London Marathon.
- The book was published twenty-seventh in the series.
American English
- She ranked twenty-seventh nationally in her sport.
- Our state was admitted twenty-seventh to the Union.
adjective
British English
- We will reconvene on the twenty-seventh day of the session.
- Her twenty-seventh birthday party is next week.
American English
- The team secured its twenty-seventh win of the season.
- He's in his twenty-seventh year with the company.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My birthday is on the twenty-seventh of June.
- This is page twenty-seven. (Note: Cardinal vs Ordinal distinction)
- The meeting has been moved to the twenty-seventh.
- She celebrated her twenty-seventh birthday quietly with family.
- The Twenty-seventh Amendment to the US Constitution deals with congressional salaries.
- He came in a disappointing twenty-seventh in the qualifiers.
- Approximately one twenty-seventh of the electorate remained undecided a week before the vote.
- The manuscript, a twenty-seventh copy from the original press run, was remarkably well-preserved.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Twenty' plus 'seventh' (like 7th) = 27th. It's the 'seventh' one after the twentieth.
Conceptual Metaphor
POSITION AS A POINT ON A PATH (e.g., 'We've reached the twenty-seventh milestone').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Remember to use ordinal ('-ой', '-ий', '-ая', '-ое', '-ые') forms in Russian (двадцать седьмой), not cardinal (двадцать семь).
- In dates, Russian uses the genitive case after ordinal numbers (двадцать седьмого мая).
Common Mistakes
- Writing 'twenty-seven' (cardinal) instead of 'twenty-seventh' (ordinal).
- Incorrect pronunciation of the final '-th' cluster.
- Misspelling as 'twenty-seventh' (incorrect) or 'twenty seventh' (often considered incorrect without the hyphen).
Practice
Quiz
How do you write the ordinal number for 27 as a word?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine are hyphenated when written out, including their ordinal forms (twenty-first, twenty-seventh, ninety-ninth).
Yes, for example in dates ('the twenty-seventh of May') or fractions ('one twenty-seventh').
'Twenty-seven' is a cardinal number (indicating quantity: 27 items). 'Twenty-seventh' is an ordinal number (indicating position or order in a sequence: the 27th item).
The '-th' is a voiceless dental fricative /θ/. Practice saying 'seventh' clearly, then add 'twenty-' before it. The stress is typically on 'twen-' and 'sev-': TWEN-tee SEV-ənth.