Say "Three" instead of "Third"?

[Winwin2011]

When I was in the elevator, a lady came in with two big shopping bags. I wanted to help her to press the button. I asked "Which floor?" She said "Three". I wonder if it is possible to say "Three" instead of "Third"?

 

[Tarheel]

We do it all the time. If several people are on the elevator somebody might say to the one closest to the buttons: "Three, please!" Somebody else might say: "Four, please!"

 

[Tarheel]

I don't think you would help her press the button. Instead, you would press the button for her.

 

[Winwin2011]

We do it all the time. If several people are on the elevator somebody might say to the one closest to the buttons: "Three, please!" Somebody else might say: "Four, please!"

Is it strange for native speakers to say "Fourth, please!"?

 

[bhaisahab]

No.

 

[Winwin2011]

No.

Is it strange for native speakers to say"Third, please!"?

 

[bhaisahab]

No, not at all. It's perfectly natural to say "three please" and "third please". The same applies to 1, 2 4, 5, etcetera.

 

[Tarheel]

[FONT=新細明體][/FONT]Is it strange for native speakers to say"Third, please!"?[FONT=新細明體][/FONT]

Nobody would, I think, think it strange.

 

[emsr2d2]

There's nothing wrong with using the ordinal form but it's far less common, in the UK at least. Most of us simply use the cardinal number because that's what's written on the buttons inside the lift.

Which floor?
Three.

 

[Tdol]

Is it strange for native speakers to say"Third, please!"?

No, and this would be the preferred form in most contexts when the buttons in the elevator/lift were not visible.

 

[Anonymous101]

Not a teacher.

"Three" refers to the actual button number.
"Third" refers to the actual floor level.

So I guess both can work. It just depends how you look at it.

 

[Rover_KE]

Welcome to the forum, Anonymous101.

Please read the Posting Guidelines — especially this:

You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly in your post.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I can easily imagine that a person asked "which floor" could say "third floor".

 

[Barb_D]

Is it strange for native speakers to say "Fourth, please!"?

No.

Is it strange for native speakers to say"Third, please!"?

Did you really think you'd get a different answer?

You're okay now, and don't have to ask about second, or nineteenth, or twenty-third?