three is a small number) or as 2) an adverb ( I’ve read this novel
twice ).
But it is reasonable to consider the first case (
three ) not as a noun, but
the cardinal numeral used in the function of the subject and the second
case (
twice ) not as the adverb, but the multiplicative numeral ( numeral
expressing frequency) used in the function of the adverbial modifier.
Numerals express relationships like
quantity (cardinal numerals),
sequence (ordinal numerals),
frequency (once, twice) and
part (fraction).
Numerals may be attributive:
two books, or pronominal: I saw
two ( of them). Many words of different parts of speech indicate number or
quantity. Such words are called quantifiers, such as every, most, least,
some, etc. Numerals are distinguished from other quantifiers and
numeratives by the fact that they designate a specific number. They
can be used in the function of a noun (dozen), in the function of an
adjective ( first), in the function of an adverb ( twice). Numerals can be
simple ( ten, seven), compound ( twenty- three, fifty- five).
Numerals are counting numbers that provide information about the
amount of the object. A numeral is a figure , symbol, or group of figures
or symbols denoting a number. It is a part of speech denoting numbers.
Like other determiners, numerals, as we have seen above, perform the
function of determinatives. Numerals in English may appear within
determiner phrases: Six
of the children failed the exam. She enjoyed
all four
of the movies . Pick out
any of the three books. We washed
some of the 20 windows.
Types of English numerals according to the meaning: Cardinal
numerals, ordinal numerals, fractional numerals.
