A numerical control apparatus provides for manual shift operation involving feed shafts of a machine tool in terms of a work coordinate system easily and readily understood by an operator. The numerical control apparatus includes a manual shift amount input unit for receiving an amount of manual shift involving linear feed shafts as operator-input data in terms of a work coordinate system defined on the work revolved or rotated by a rotary feed shaft. The numerical control apparatus further includes a manual shift amount cumulative storage for cumulatively storing the received amount of manual shift in terms of a work coordinate system. Also included is a cumulative shift amount coordinate converter for converting the cumulative amount of shift from the work coordinate system data to data in terms of machine coordinate system defined on the machine tool. The apparatus's manual shift amount superimposing unit then superimposes the converted cumulative amount of shift on a controlled variable commanded in a machining program to generate the result to servo drivers.