How to Write 31 in Words for Kids

There are some questions children ask that make you pause for a second.

Not because they are difficult. Just because your brain suddenly has to switch back to things you haven’t thought about in years.

For me, 31 in words became one of those questions.

And the funny part is it didn’t even happen during homework time at home.

A few of us mothers were standing there waiting for the children to come out.

One mother suddenly asked, almost casually,

“Hey… how do we write 31 in words? My son asked me yesterday and I blanked.”

Immediately, everyone started thinking.

One mother said, “Is it thirty one?”

Another said, “No, no… I think there’s a dash.”

You know how these conversations go. Everyone is half sure and half confused at the same time.

Just then my daughter came out, handed me her notebook and said,

“Amma, teacher told us to write 31 in English.”

I looked down at the page.

Right in the middle, she had written the number.

Below it was her attempt.

thirty one

Then she had stopped there, clearly unsure.

And suddenly five mothers and four children were all looking at the same notebook like it was a puzzle.

Honestly, school gates should come with a blackboard sometimes.

So, What Is 31 in Words?

31 in words is written as:

thirty-one

That is the correct 31 spelling.

So if a teacher asks a child to write 31 in English, the answer is simply:

thirty-one

My daughter wrote it slowly again.

Then she stared at the word and pointed to the tiny line.

“Amma, what is this small line?”

That tiny line is called a hyphen.

But honestly, when children are first learning number names, they don’t need to remember the grammatical word for it. They just need to notice that it appears in numbers like twenty-one, thirty-two, forty-five and so on.

After writing a few numbers, it becomes automatic.

Read More – Understanding Number Words for Kids

Breaking the Number Helps

One of the mothers explained it in the simplest possible way.

She pointed to the number and said,

“Look carefully.”

31 = 30 + 1

Then she asked the children,

“What is 30 in words?”

“Thirty,” someone answered immediately.

“And 1?”

“One.”

So when we join the two words together, we get:

thirty-one

That’s how we write 31 in words.

Children understand this much faster when the number is split like that. Suddenly it doesn’t feel like a spelling to memorise. It just feels like joining two pieces together.

The Numbers Around 31

While we were still standing there, one of the mothers started writing a few numbers on a scrap piece of paper.

Then we read them aloud.

Thirty

Thirty-one

Thirty-two

Thirty-three

Thirty-four

And suddenly one of the children said something that made all of us smile.

“They all start with thirty.”

Exactly.

Numbers from 30 to 39 begin with the word thirty.

Once children notice that pattern, writing 31 in English becomes much easier.

Children actually love patterns. The moment they see one, everything starts making sense.

Read More – Counting Fun with Everyday Objects

Why Kids Write Funny Spellings

The interesting thing is that children rarely get the number wrong.

The spelling is what causes the confusion.

Some children might write:

therty-one

Or sometimes they skip the hyphen and write:

thirtyone

Both are extremely common mistakes when children first start writing number names.

And honestly, if you think about it, their logic isn’t wrong. They are simply guessing based on what they hear.

That’s why practising 31 in words a couple of times helps.

Once they see the correct spelling repeatedly, the brain quietly remembers it.

Where Children Use 31 in Words

Parents sometimes wonder why children even need to write numbers like this.

But 31 in words shows up quite often in schoolwork.

Children practise number names during:

maths worksheets

dictation exercises

homework practice

small classroom tests

fill-in-the-blanks

Sometimes the teacher simply says,

“Write 31 in English.”

And children need to write:

thirty-one

That’s when remembering the correct 31 spelling helps.

Read More – Fun Number Activities for Kids

A Small Trick That Helps

One of the mothers shared a trick she uses at home.

Whenever her child sees numbers between 30 and 39, she asks him to say the first word in his head.

“Thirty.”

Then add the second number.

thirty + one

thirty + two

thirty + three

So when the child sees 31, the brain automatically thinks:

thirty + one

Which becomes:

thirty-one

It’s surprisingly effective.

Sometimes the smallest tricks make the biggest difference when children are learning.

A Question That Made All of Us Laugh

Just when we thought the conversation was over, one of the kids asked something unexpected.

“Why is it thirty and not three-ty?”

For a moment, all the mothers looked at each other.

Honestly, none of us had a perfect explanation ready.

Finally someone said,

“English spelling is funny sometimes. We just remember it.”

And strangely enough, that answer satisfied everyone.

Sometimes children don’t need long explanations. They just need reassurance that they’ll get used to it.

A Small Note for Parents

If your child has asked you how to write 31 in words, you’re definitely not alone.

These questions pop up very often in the early school years.

Children try writing something, pause, erase it, and then ask a parent if it’s correct.

Many early learning schools, including EuroKids Preschool, focus on helping children become comfortable with numbers and words slowly. Parents exploring Eurokids Preschool Admission often appreciate this approach, where children are encouraged to practise, notice patterns, and build confidence step by step rather than rushing through lessons.

And before you realise it, number names like thirty-one become very easy for them to write.