A2 noun Neutral #10,000 most common 2 min read

seventy

/ˈsɛvənti/
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'Seventy' is the number 70, commonly used for quantities and measurements in daily life.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Represents the number 70.
  • Used for quantities, age, time, and money.
  • A basic number for everyday communication.

**Overview**

'Seventy' is a cardinal number representing the quantity of 70. It's a fundamental number used in counting, measuring, and expressing quantities in everyday life. As an A2 level word, it's expected that learners can recognize and use it in basic contexts.

**Usage Patterns**

'Seventy' is primarily used as a standalone number to denote quantity, as in 'There were seventy people at the party.' It can also be used in combination with other numbers, especially when forming larger numbers (e.g., 'seventy-five'). It's commonly used when discussing age, time, money, measurements, and scores.

**Common Contexts**: You'll frequently encounter 'seventy' in contexts such as:

  • Age: 'She is seventy years old.'
  • Time: 'The meeting is scheduled for seventy minutes.' (though less common than specific hours/minutes)
  • Money: 'The item costs seventy dollars.'
  • Measurements: 'The speed limit is seventy miles per hour.'
  • Scores: 'The final score was seventy to sixty.'

**Similar Words Comparison**:

  • Seven: This is the base digit (7). 'Seventy' is seven tens (7 x 10 = 70).
  • Seventeen: This is a distinct number between ten and twenty (17). It does not follow the 'tens' pattern of 'seventy'.
  • Seventieth: This is an ordinal number, referring to the position in a sequence (the 70th item), not the quantity itself.

Examples

1

The price of the book is seventy dollars.

everyday

The price of the book is seventy dollars.

2

She has been working here for seventy years.

formal

She has been working here for seventy years.

3

I'm almost seventy, but I feel young!

informal

I'm almost seventy, but I feel young!

4

The experimental results were observed over a period of seventy-two hours.

academic

The experimental results were observed over a period of seventy-two hours.

Common Collocations

seventy years old seventy years old
seventy percent seventy percent
seventy miles per hour seventy miles per hour

Common Phrases

seventy years old

seventy years old

seventy-five

seventy-five

seventy percent

seventy percent

Often Confused With

seventy vs seventeen

'Seventeen' is the number 17, while 'seventy' is the number 70. They are distinct numbers with different values and pronunciations.

seventy vs seven

'Seven' is the digit 7. 'Seventy' is derived from 'seven' but represents seven tens (70).

Grammar Patterns

seventy + noun (e.g., seventy books) seventy + years + old (e.g., He is seventy years old) seventy + [unit] (e.g., seventy miles, seventy percent)

How to Use It

Usage Notes

Seventy is a standard cardinal number used widely in everyday English. It is generally neutral in register and appropriate for most contexts, from casual conversation to more formal writing. When used for age, it often implies an older person, and can sometimes be used hyperbolically to express a large quantity.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is misspelling 'seventy' as 'seventy' or confusing it with 'seventeen'. Ensure the 'v' is present and the pronunciation is distinct from 'seventeen' (17).

Tips

💡

Remember the 'V' in Seventy

Many learners confuse the spelling of 'seventy' with 'seven'. Remember that 'seventy' has a 'v' in it, just like 'seven'.

⚠️

Distinguish from Seventeen

Be careful not to confuse 'seventy' (70) with 'seventeen' (17). They sound similar but represent very different quantities.

🌍

Milestone Ages

In many cultures, reaching the age of seventy is considered a significant milestone, often celebrated with special events.

Word Origin

The word 'seventy' comes from the Old English 'seofontig', which is a combination of 'seofon' (seven) and 'tig' (ten). It follows the pattern of other tens numbers like 'twenty', 'thirty', etc.

Cultural Context

In Western cultures, 'three score and ten' (an older way of saying seventy) is often associated with the biblical lifespan. Reaching seventy is often seen as a significant age milestone.

Memory Tip

Think of 'seven' swans swimming, and then imagine seventy swans – a much larger group! The 'v' in 'seventy' sounds a bit like 'very' many.

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

Seventy is spelled S-E-V-E-N-T-Y. It's important to remember the 'v' instead of an 'f'.

Seven is the digit 7, while seventy represents seven groups of ten, totaling 70.

Whether seventy is considered large depends on the context. For example, seventy people at a small gathering is a lot, but seventy miles per hour is a common speed limit.

You can use it like: 'My grandfather is seventy years old,' or 'The project took seventy hours to complete.'

Test Yourself

fill blank

There were approximately ______ people at the concert.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: seventy

The sentence implies a large number of people, making 'seventy' the most appropriate choice.

multiple choice

Which word represents the number 70?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Seventy

'Seventy' is the correct spelling for the number 70. 'Seven' is 7, and 'seventeen' is 17.

sentence building

Build a sentence using 'is', 'seventy', 'old', 'he', 'years'.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: He is seventy years old.

This is the standard English structure for stating someone's age.

Score: /3

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Related Vocabulary

ten

The cardinal number equivalent to the sum of five and five;...

 seventeen

The number equivalent to the sum of eight and nine.

 seven

The number equivalent to the sum of three and four.

More general words

about

A1

On the subject of; concerning something.

above

A2

In a higher place than something or someone.

accident

A2

An unfortunate event causing damage or injury.

action

A2

The process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim.

after

A2

Following in time or place; later than.

afterward

A2

At a later or subsequent time.

again

A2

Another time; once more.

aged

B1

Of a specified age.

alive

A2

Living, not dead.

all

A2

The whole quantity or extent of something; every single one.

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