the fourth

USAGE SUMMARY

"the fourth" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to refer to something that is fourth in a group or sequence. For example, "Italy won the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the fourth time it had won the title."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The fourth team?

The New York Times - Sports

"It's like the fourth.

Independent

The fourth was not.

The New York Times

The fourth is fist.

The New York Times - Sports

"I'm the fourth generation.

The New York Times

Marquette was the fourth.

The New York Times

Nobody answered the fourth.

The New York Times

The fourth launching succeeded.

The New York Times - Science

The fourth trip?

The New Yorker

And on the fourth?

The New York Times

The fourth teaches journalism.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "the fourth" when referring to a specific position in a sequence or order. For instance, "She was the fourth person in line".

Common error

Avoid using "the fourth" when you mean "a fourth" or "one-fourth" which refers to a fraction or part of something. "The fourth" refers to a specific position in a sequence, while "a fourth" describes a proportion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the fourth" functions primarily as a determiner followed by a noun (implied or stated), indicating an ordinal position in a sequence. Ludwig AI shows various examples, reinforcing its role in specifying order, as seen in "The fourth team?" or "He walked in the fourth."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Wiki

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the fourth" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to denote the ordinal position in a sequence. Ludwig AI confirms its prevalence across various contexts, particularly in news, wiki and scientific sources. While it's essential to distinguish its usage from fractions like "a fourth", understanding its role as a specific identifier enhances clarity in writing. Alternative phrases like "fourthly" or "in fourth place" offer contextual variations, but "the fourth" remains a versatile choice for indicating order.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the fourth item

Emphasizes that "fourth" refers to a specific element in a sequence.

at the fourth instance

Highlights a specific occurrence within a series of events.

in fourth place

Specifies a ranking or position in a competition or ordered list.

fourthly

Changes the phrase to an adverb, emphasizing the order in a list of points.

position four

Focuses on the location in a series, downplaying the numbering.

the ensuing fourth

Adds a sense of time or consequence to the sequential position.

the subsequent fourth

Similar to 'ensuing', highlighting the order as a follow-up to previous items.

the number four

Replaces the ordinal with a cardinal number, useful when focusing on the quantity.

the ordinal fourth

Highlights the grammatical nature of 'fourth' as an ordinal number.

the quantity of four

Shift from sequence to a count of four.

FAQs

How do I use "the fourth" in a sentence?

"The fourth" is used to indicate the ordinal position in a sequence. For example, "This is "the fourth time" I've seen that movie" or "He finished in "the fourth place"".

What are some alternatives to using "the fourth"?

Depending on the context, you could use "fourthly", "in fourth position", or "the fourth item".

Is it correct to say "the fourth" or should I use "fourthly"?

"The fourth" is an ordinal adjective or noun, indicating position. "Fourthly" is an adverb used to introduce the fourth point in a list. The choice depends on the grammatical structure of your sentence.

What's the difference between "the fourth" and "a fourth"?

"The fourth" refers to a specific position in a sequence (e.g., "the fourth day of the month"). "A fourth" or "one-fourth" refers to a fraction or a quarter of something (e.g., "a fourth of the pie").