我们可以用小数(decimals)或分数(fractions)来描述小于1的数位。怎样用英语表达“分数”(几分之几)呢？
如何用英文说 “1/3, 2/3”？
首先我们要知道：分子用基数词，分母用序数词。
基数词 – one, two, five, ten…
序数词 – first, second, third, fourth…
1/3 就是 one third。这里 one 也可以用 a 代替，即 a third。
如果分子大于一，分母要+s
2/3 就是 two thirds. （可以理解成 2 个 one third, 所以后面+s）
有几个例外：
- 1/2：表达为 one half 或 a half.
- 1/4: 除了说 one fourth/a fourth, 也可以说 one quarter/a quarter.
- 5¾: 五又三分之二，这类我们要在整数和分数之间用 and。即 five and two thirds.
更多分数“几分之几”的英文表达例子
| 1/3 | one third | 2/3 | two thirds |
| 1/4 | one quarter/one fourth | 3/4 | three quarters/three fourths |
| 1/5 | one fifth | 2/5 | two fifths |
| 1/8 | one eighth | 7/8 | seven eighths |
| 1/10 | one tenth | 4/10 | four tenths |
| 1/16 | one sixteenth | 3/16 | three sixteenths |
| 1/100 | one hundredth | 3/100 | three hundredths |
| 11/2 | one and a half | 3 ⅞ | three and seven eighths |
| 325 ½ | three hundred and twenty-five and one half |
注意以下这两类表达方式，代表不同的数字：
one and a half thousand = 1500
one thousand and one half = 1000 ½