22nd or 22th: Which Is Correct The Simple Rule You Need to Know

If you are wondering if “22nd” or “22th” is correct, the answer is 22nd. The correct ordinal form of the number 22 is 22nd, not 22th. We write 22nd because the number ends in 2, and most numbers ending in 2 take the ordinal suffix -nd. For example: 22nd birthday, 22nd place, and 22nd of October.

Understanding ordinal numbers helps you write dates, rankings, positions, and sequences correctly. Although 22th may look logical because many ordinal numbers use -th, it is grammatically incorrect in standard English.

Quick Answer

22nd is correct, while 22th is incorrect. The number 22 is written as twenty-second, so its abbreviated ordinal form is 22nd. Use 22nd for dates, rankings, birthdays, anniversaries, floors, and other situations involving the ordinal number 22.

Why Do People Confuse 22nd and 22th?

The confusion happens because many English ordinal numbers use -th:

• 4th — fourth
• 5th — fifth
• 6th — sixth
• 10th — tenth
• 20th — twentieth

However, numbers ending in 2 generally use -nd:

• 2nd — second
• 22nd — twenty-second
• 32nd — thirty-second
• 42nd — forty-second
• 52nd — fifty-second

So, while 22th may seem reasonable, it does not follow the correct ordinal pattern.

First Word: 22nd

22nd is the correct abbreviated form of twenty-second.

The suffix -nd comes from the word second.

Examples:

• Today is my 22nd birthday.
• She finished in 22nd place.
• The office is on the 22nd floor.
• The event will take place on the 22nd of May.
• This is his 22nd attempt.

How Do You Spell 22nd?

The full form is:

22nd = twenty-second

Not:

22th = twenty-thth ❌

Second Word: 22th

22th is incorrect in standard English.

You should not use 22th in formal or informal writing when you mean the ordinal number twenty-second.

Incorrect:

My birthday is on the 22th of June. ❌

Correct:

My birthday is on the 22nd of June. ✅

The same rule applies whether you are writing a date, rank, position, floor, anniversary, or another ordinal expression.

22nd vs 22th: Comparison Table

Form	Correct?	Full Form	Example
22nd	✅ Yes	twenty-second	She came 22nd.
22th	❌ No	—	Incorrect spelling
22	✅ Yes	twenty-two	I have 22 books.
twenty-second	✅ Yes	twenty-second	He finished twenty-second.

When to Use 22nd

Use 22nd when you need the ordinal form of 22.

Dates

• 22nd January
• 22nd March
• 22nd August

Example:

The meeting is scheduled for the 22nd of September.

Rankings

He finished 22nd in the competition.

Floors

Their apartment is on the 22nd floor.

Birthdays

She is celebrating her 22nd birthday.

Anniversaries

They celebrated their 22nd anniversary.

Numbered Events

The 22nd annual conference begins tomorrow.

10+ Examples of 22nd

1. Today is my 22nd birthday.
2. She finished in 22nd place.
3. He lives on the 22nd floor.
4. The exam will be held on the 22nd of April.
5. This is our 22nd meeting.
6. They celebrated their 22nd anniversary.
7. He won the 22nd race of the season.
8. The company opened its 22nd branch.
9. She was the 22nd person to arrive.
10. The 22nd chapter contains important information.
11. His name appears 22nd on the list.
12. The festival begins on the 22nd.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Writing 22th

I will arrive on the 22th. ❌

Correct:

I will arrive on the 22nd. ✅

Mistake 2: Thinking Every Number Uses -th

Not every ordinal number ends in -th.

For example:

• 1st — first
• 2nd — second
• 3rd — third
• 4th — fourth
• 22nd — twenty-second
• 23rd — twenty-third
• 24th — twenty-fourth

Mistake 3: Confusing 22 With 22nd

22 is a cardinal number.

I have 22 students.

22nd is an ordinal number.

She is the 22nd student on the list.

Memory Trick

Remember the last digit:

• 1 → st
• 2 → nd
• 3 → rd
• Most other numbers → th

Therefore:

22 → 22nd

Think:

22 ends in 2 → 2nd → 22nd

There is one important exception: numbers ending in 11, 12, and 13 normally take -th:

• 11th
• 12th
• 13th

So:

• 21st ✅
• 22nd ✅
• 23rd ✅
• 24th ✅

American vs British English

There is no difference between American and British English regarding the spelling 22nd.

Both varieties use:

22nd

The main difference you may notice is in how dates are written.

American English

April 22
April 22nd — sometimes used, especially in less formal contexts

British English

22 April
22nd April — also commonly seen

When dates are written in words, the ordinal form 22nd is grammatically correct in both varieties.

Similar Words

Here are some nearby ordinal forms that can help you understand the pattern:

• 21st — twenty-first
• 22nd — twenty-second
• 23rd — twenty-third
• 24th — twenty-fourth
• 25th — twenty-fifth
• 26th — twenty-sixth
• 27th — twenty-seventh
• 28th — twenty-eighth
• 29th — twenty-ninth
• 30th — thirtieth

Notice that 22nd follows the same pattern as 2nd.

Final Verdict

22nd is correct. 22th is incorrect.

The number 22 becomes twenty-second when used as an ordinal number, so its abbreviated form is 22nd.

Use 22nd for dates, rankings, floors, birthdays, anniversaries, chapters, events, and other situations where you are expressing position or order.

FAQs

Is 22nd or 22th correct?

22nd is correct. The full ordinal form is twenty-second, which is abbreviated as 22nd.

How do you spell 22nd?

The full spelling is twenty-second. The abbreviated form is 22nd.

Why is 22nd correct instead of 22th?

The number 22 ends in 2, and the ordinal form of 2 is second. Therefore, 22 becomes twenty-second, abbreviated as 22nd.

Is 22th ever correct?

No. 22th is not the standard English ordinal form. Use 22nd instead.

How do you write the 22nd date?

You can write it as 22nd, the 22nd, or, depending on the date style, 22nd March or March 22.

Is it 21st, 22nd, or 22th?

The correct forms are 21st and 22nd. 22th is incorrect.

What is the ordinal number of 22?

The ordinal number of 22 is twenty-second, written in abbreviated form as 22nd.

Remember This

22nd = correct ✅
22th = incorrect ❌

The easiest rule is:

22 ends in 2 → use -nd → 22nd.

Conclusion

When choosing between 22nd and 22th, always choose 22nd. It is the correct abbreviated form of twenty-second and is used for dates, rankings, positions, birthdays, floors, anniversaries, and many other ordinal expressions.

Although 22th may look tempting because many ordinal numbers end in -th, English has special ordinal patterns. Since 22 ends in 2, it follows the pattern of 2nd, giving us 22nd.