# the 20th century

CEFR A1 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/the-20th-century
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

The period of time from the year 1901 to 2000. We often use it to talk about the history, art, and technology of that time.

For teachers: The historical period spanning the hundred years from 1 January 1901 to 31 December 2000.

## Examples

- My grandparents were born in the 20th century.
- The world changed dramatically during the 20th century with two world wars and many technological advances.
- Historians argue that the ideological conflicts that defined the 20th century have been replaced by new global challenges.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He was born in 20 century." but "He was born in the 20th century." — This phrase requires the definite article 'the' and an ordinal number ('20th'), not a cardinal number ('20').

## Usage notes

- This phrase almost always uses the definite article 'the' and an ordinal number (e.g., 20th, 21st).
- Teaching tip: Drill the pattern: the century number is always one higher than the 'hundreds' of the years within it (e.g., the 1900s are in the 20th century).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.