±«Óătv

Watch: Counting forward and backwards from twenty

Let's practise counting forward and backwards, to and from twenty and learn why some numbers end in 'teen'.

Back to top

1 to 20

Let’s count together from 1 to 20. Then count back from 20 to 0.

Use the grid below to help you as you count.

Numbers 1 to 20 on a number grid

What do you notice about the second row of numbers?

They are all two digit numbers.

Now let's have a look at how each number can be represented with blocks.

Numbers 1 to 20 represented with blocks

Look at the blocks on the top row and the bottom row.

Can you see that the red blocks are the same in both rows. However, on the bottom row, each number has a yellow tens block.

Back to top

Showing 20 on a number line

We can use a number line to help us with counting as well.

Here are the numbers 1 to 20 shown on a number line.

number line to 20
Back to top

Reading numbers

It's easy to see patterns when the numbers 0 to 20 are shown like above. However, sometimes it is hard to ‘hear’ a pattern when we are counting the teen numbers.

Look at the table below. On the left you will find the numbers in order from 10 to 20 in words.

On the right you will see the same numbers but described as tens and ones.

wordstens and ones
tenone ten
elevenone ten and one one
twelveone ten and two ones
thirteenone ten and three ones
fourteenone ten and four ones
fifteenone ten and five ones
sixteenone ten and six ones
seventeenone ten and seven ones
eighteenone ten and eight ones
nineteenone ten and nine ones
twentytwo tens

Think about the pattern in the numbers from 13 to 19. These are teen numbers.

Teen numbers are different because the teen sound (which means ten) comes after the ones sound.

Back to top

Remember

Remember that the ones sound in sixteen comes before the tens, but the number is still built from 1 ten and 6 ones. -

When you write the number in numerals, the tens come before the ones.

Six teen represented in different ways
Back to top
An illustration of a young boy smiling with question marks around him.

Activity 1

  • Can you count on and back without looking at the number line to help you?

  • Can you start counting on from 10 and stop at 18?

  • Can you say 18?

  • Can you write 18 in numbers and words?

  • What number comes after 18? Can you write it in numbers and words?

  • What number comes before 18? Can you write it in number and words?

An illustration of a young boy smiling with question marks around him.
Back to top

Activity 2

Grey line
Back to top

Karate Cats Maths game. game

Train with the Karate Cats to become an expert in addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, place value and more!

Karate Cats Maths game
Back to top

More on Counting and ordering

Find out more by working through a topic