Writing Dates and Times
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Writing Dates and Times
Rule: The following examples apply when using dates:
The meeting is scheduled for June 30.
The meeting is scheduled for the 30th of June.
We have had tricks played on us on April 1.
The 1st of April puts some people on edge. (Some prefer to write it out: The first of April)
Rule: There are differing policies for expressing decades using numerals. Some write the 1980s and the ’80s, others write the 1980’s and the 80’s. However, using two apostrophes (the ’80’s) is awkward and is not recommended.
Correct:
During the ’80s, the world’s economy grew.
During the 1980s, the world’s economy grew.
During the 1980’s, the world’s economy grew.
Not Advised:
During the ’80’s, the world’s economy grew.
Rule: Some writers spell out the time of day, others prefer numbers.
Example: She gets up at four thirty before the baby wakes up.
Example: The baby wakes up at 5 o’clock in the morning.
Rule: Some use numerals with the time of day when exact times are being emphasized.
Example: Her flight leaves at 6:22 a.m.
Example: Please arrive by 12:30 p.m. sharp.
Rule: It is clearer to use noon and midnight rather than 12:00 p.m. or 12:00 a.m.
Note: You may use AM and PM, A.M. and P.M., am and pm, or a.m. and p.m.
Some put a space after the numeral, others do not.
Example: Her flight leaves at 6:22 a.m.
Example: Her flight leaves at 6:22am.
Example: Please arrive by 12:30 P.M. sharp.
Rule: As you will see in the following examples, there are a number of options for expressing date and time ranges. Take care to express the ranges clearly, and be consistent.
Example (using an en dash in accordance with The Chicago Manual of Style. The en dash indicates up to and including, or through):
The fair will take place August 31–September 5.
Example (using a hyphen in accordance with The Associated Press Stylebook):
The fair will take place August 31-September 5.
Example (reasonably clear): The fair will take place from August 31 to September 5. Most people would interpret that the fair will begin on August 31 and extend to and including September 5. However, consider this sentence:
We will be visiting from August 31 to September 5.
Are the visitors departing on September 5 or staying through September 5?
Example (clear): We will be visiting from August 31 through September 5.
Note: Do not use a hyphen or en dash when from or between is used before the first date or time.
Incorrect example: We will be visiting on August 31, 2017, from 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Examples (exact beginning and end dates not important):
The Straus family lived in the neighborhood from 1949 to 2012. (from followed by to)
The Straus family lived in the neighborhood between 1949 and 2012. (between followed by and)
Example (with exact dates):
The Straus family lived in the neighborhood from January 1, 1949, to October 18, 2012.
On the fourth day of June, 2021, we will begin building the sandbox for the kids.
Pop Quiz:
Correct or Incorrect?
1. The last outbreak of smallpox occurred in the late seventy’s.
2. Can you get here by 12:00 midnight?
3. Please deliver the package by August 1st.
4. Her flight leaves at 5:00 a.m. in the morning.
5. The market is open from 9 am to 9 p.m.
6. Traffic will be detoured on Saturday, April 22, from 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Pop Quiz Answers
1. The last outbreak of smallpox occurred in the late seventies.
2. Can you get here by midnight? (leave out 12:00)
3. Please deliver the package by August 1. (OR by the first of August OR by the 1st of August)
4. “5:00 a.m. in the morning” is redundant. Leave out one or the other:
Her flight leaves at 5:00 a.m. OR Her flight leaves at 5:00 in the morning.
5. The market is open from 9 am to 9 pm. OR 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
6. Traffic will be detoured on Saturday, April 22, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. OR between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. OR Traffic will be detoured on Saturday, April 22, 1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. OR 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. OR use pm, PM, or P.M.
Are you ready for the quiz?
If the article or the existing discussions do not address a thought or question you have on the subject, please use the "Comment" box at the bottom of this page.
You write “…..at 5 o’clock.” Is it incorrect to write “at five o’clock” or is that also acceptable?
Yes, “at five o’clock” is fine. Some writers spell out the time of day, others prefer numbers.
I can’t figure out what makes your third example correct: “During the 1980’s, the world’s economy grew.”
An apostrophe is inserted when something is removed (the o from don’t, the un from ’til) or in a possessive. Why would putting one is 1980s be correct?
I know random apostrophe insertion is common among those who don’t know a possessive from a possum, but that don’t make it right.
We understand your concern and don’t particularly like that apostrophe either; however, up until sometime in the later 20th century, constructions like the 1970’s and the 70’s were the preference of many distinguished editors. Perhaps we’ll be able to drop it at some point in the future.
Perhaps a way to relieve donmorberg’s and Angelo S.’s cognitive dissonance related to the use of an apostrophe when talking about dates (e.g. the 70’s), would be to think of it as a case of missing letters, as in the “o” in don’t.
But, instead of only one letter missing, ALL the letters are missing. So, the Seventies is rendered 70’s because all eight letters before the “s” are dropped.
The construct is required (one could argue) because there is no way to indicate a plural number with digits alone, so you must use the letter “s.” And because you are using digits to replace dropped letters, the apostrophe represent the fact the we’ve used a shortcut (like dropping the “o”) and is appropriate.
That’s pretty creative thinking. As we state in our Rule 12 of Writing Numbers, “it is cleaner to avoid an apostrophe between the year and the s.”
I was always taught to think of it in the sense that the 70’s “owned” all the years from 1970 to 1979. Without the ‘s, you would be essentially saying 1970s – meaning the one year is plural, and that is incorrect. Rather, the 70’s is a collective group, and each of those 10 years belongs to it.
We do hear from our readers from time to time that they were taught differently from some of our rules or preferences. Up until sometime in the later 20th century, constructions like the 1970’s and the 70’s were the preference of many distinguished editors. Using the shortened term “the ’70s” requires an apostrophe before the numeral to indicate that numerals have been omitted because this is a contraction of “the 1970s.” As we state in the post, “… using two apostrophes (the ’80’s) is awkward and is not recommended.” Writing “the 1970s” or “the ’70s” without an apostrophe indicates that one is referring to the ten years of the 1970s, and is thus a simple plural. Therefore, an apostrophe before the s is unnecessary.
Example: The baby wakes up at 5 o’clock in the morning.
As the number is less than ten, five should be spelled out.
Writing numbers is a minefield. As we mention in our rules for Writing Numbers, it is a complex topic with many exceptions. Your comment that a number less than ten should be spelled out is consistent with guidance in The Associated Press Stylebook. However, be aware that AP makes an exception for times, stating “use figures except for noon and midnight.” Be consistent in your own writing, and you’ll be fine.
Thanks for your great article on dates and times.
Something that annoys me has to do with how some people speak of a range of items (including dates, times, and other measures), combining the two forms “between this and that” and “from this to that.”
These people will say, “It should arrive between Monday to Friday,” or, “The cost will be between five dollars to seven dollars.”
I believe that is incorrect, and that the correct forms are, “It should arrive between Monday and Friday,” and, “The cost will be between five dollars and seven dollars.”
I rarely hear the form, “From this and that,” but I often hear “Between this to that.”
Ugh. Please straighten us all out!
We agree with you. We mentioned the proper way to express these ranges in the next to last set of examples where we advise “from followed by to” and “between followed by and.”
We’ll consider expanding on this topic in a future e-newsletter.
Thank you for the kind words.
I believe that using apostrophes to denote decades as in: the 1980’s, the 1940’s, etc. is incorrect and not acceptable as an alternate. The ‘s is never used anywhere else in the English language to denote plurality. Why should be used here? There is a perfectly acceptable and consistent way to show the plural: the use of a final “S”. This is also how I was taught in grammar school and high school.
To me, the use of the apostrophe is wrong because it is inconsistent. The ‘s should only be used in contractions meaning is, and for possession of a singular noun or name. Doing otherwise is confusing and unnecessary.
I think that writing 1980’s, etc., using an apostrophe is just another example of grammar unjustifiably absorbing and adopting an incorrect practice because it is seemingly ubiquitous: “Many do it that way” or “I have seen it done that way in professional publications.”
We do agree with you; we don’t like it either. We express our preference more clearly in our Writing Numbers Rules 11 and 12.
(Also, remember that ‘s can be a contraction for has as well as is.)
Yes, let’s be consistent: 80s is plural. It replaces the spelled word “eighties.”
Wouldn’t you have a double period when A.M. ends the sentence? Example: Her flight leaves at 6:22 a.m..
Please see our Rule 2 of Periods: “If the last item in the sentence is an abbreviation that ends in a period, do not follow it with another period.”
Is a comma used after the year when writing a date as follows:
22th day of March A. D. 2017 will be the fist day of Spring.
The day-month-year format requires no punctuation. We recommend The 22nd day of March 2017 will be the first day of spring.
Is it necessarily incorrect so say April 1st? I’ve been writing this my whole life and not once was I corrected, is it a grave offense or is it okay?
When you are speaking (and in casual writing), it is fine to say “April 1st.” In formal writing, we recommend April 1, the 1st of April, or the first of April.
Can i say: I thought you were going to LSU for 2PM?
The preposition for is incorrect in the sentence. Write “I thought you were going to LSU at 2PM.”
Is it correct to write – We’re leaving on 23rd August – ? without THE and OF?
You could write either “We’re leaving the 23rd (or twenty-third, depending on your style guide) of August” or “We’re leaving August 23.”
Could you please specify why do you omit ON in “We’re leaving the 23rd (or twenty-third, depending on your style guide) of August” or “We’re leaving August 23″? I often come across similar sentences, but I still can’t find any grammar rule explaining that (one of the reasons I actually visited this website but, again, didn’t find the answer). Would it be correct to write the above sentence with ON as well (We’re leaving ON the 23rd of August)?. Thank you in advance.
The Associated Press Stylebook says, “Do not use on before a date or day of the week when its absence would not lead to confusion, except at the beginning of a sentence.” We agree with AP and recommend not overusing prepositions. That being said, writing “We’re leaving on the 23rd of August” would not be incorrect.
On a tombstone the date is shown Dec 14 with the date beneath and April 23 with the date beneath. Is a comma needed after the 14 and the 23 since the year is not on the same line?
In formal prose we would write “December 14, 1957, to April 23, 2017.” However, tombstones may have their own styles.
My friend insists that one can say, “I’m going to the gym for 4:30 and then I might take a class there.” I maintain that one has to say “for a 4:30 class” or at least, “for a 4:30” implying a class or appointment. Who is right?
The following would be grammatically correct:
I’m going to the gym at 4:30, and then I might take a class there.
I’m going to the gym for a 4:30 class.
I’m going to the gym for a 4:30 is acceptable in an informal, most likely spoken, context.
I have been a proofreader for over 25 years. I just wanted to point out something in this post that is incorrect. Above it says:
Correct:
During the ’80s, the world’s economy grew.
During the 1980s, the world’s economy grew.
During the 1980’s, the world’s economy grew.
The last entry using “During the 1980’s” is incorrect. Talking about the collective years that make up the eighties, 1980s does not need an apostrophe because it is plural, not possessive. It is incorrect to use “1980’s.”
Please see our reply of April 28, 2017, to @donmorberg.
What about when you are writing a sentence like “the party is at 9-12 p.m.” because the first number is a.m and the second number is p.m.? I’m not sure which term to use.
Thank you!
We recommend changing the preposition at to from and using the word to instead of a hyphen. Also, it is clearer to use noon and midnight rather than 12:00 p.m. or 12:00 a.m.
The party is from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
Which is correct?
A. 6th of April, 2018
B. 6th of April 2018
6th of April, 2018 (See Rule 9 of Writing Numbers.)
When writing out a date and time, which would be correct: March 26, 2018, at 10:14 a.m. or March 26, 2018 at 10:14 a.m.? My instinct is with the comma, but all of the online card companies drop the comma. Thanks!
Our Rule 9 of Commas says, “Use a comma to separate the day of the month from the year, and—what most people forget!—always put one after the year, also.” Greeting cards, invitations, wedding announcements, and the like go by their own rules.
While writing a sentence ending in 2017-2018, the 2018 has to wrapped to next line. Do I just type 18 or 2018 at the beginning on the next line? I think 2018 but a coworker disagrees.
There is no rule regarding this situation, but we would recommend keeping 2018 intact for readability purposes if it must wrap to the next line. Another option could be to move the entire 2017-18 to the next line.
Could you explain why people are leaving out the space between the time and the am or pm? I am seeing this a lot and it looks wrong to me, but you give it as an acceptable form above.
The Associated Press Stylebook, The Chicago Manual of Style, and some of the other leading style guides include a space between the numerals and the abbreviation. For clarity, we prefer that practice ourselves. However, we do acknowledge that there is a wide variation in how different books, newspapers, magazines, advertisers, etc. treat times. There are no strict rules governing this area, which now resides fully in the public domain where style has become subjective. We recommend adopting a style and sticking to it.
For the year spans, is 2012-15 correct? Or should it be 2012-2015. Example: I lived in New York City from 2012-2015.
Thanks!
Either one is acceptable.
I’d like to know what is the correct way to write this beginning statement on a plaque.
On this date, June 7, 1962 or On this date: June 7, 1962
Although we are unable to see the rest of the sentence, a comma seems appropriate here. There should also be a comma after the year.
On this date, June 7, 1962,
Time zones were not covered in the article. I was hoping for clarification on time zone punctuation as part of a date and time. Perhaps a future revision could include such.
Thank you for your suggestion, which we will note for future consideration. The Chicago Manual of Style says, “Time zones, where needed, are usually given in parentheses—for example, 4:45 p.m. (CST).”
When writing a range of times and the beginning and ending time are both AM or PM, I think it’s clearer to just use one AM or PM instead of two,
e.g., MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 7:00 TO 9:30 PM instead of MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 7:00 PM TO 9:30 PM.
or MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 7:00-9:30 PM instead of MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 7:00 PM-9:30 PM.
Then you don’t have to realize that they are both in the AM or PM.
Is there a rule that says one must use both AM or PM for each time?
Also, should one always use one style of am/a.m./AM on a page or document, as opposed to mixing some with am and some with AM?
Thank you.
If you are confident you won’t be misunderstood, you may use just one a.m. or p.m. in a time range. The AP Stylebook uses this method. As we mention in our recent article In the Zone: It’s About Time and in our Note following Rule 4a of Numbers, there are many styles of writing a.m. and p.m. We recommend consistency throughout any single document.
In this example do you leave a space after the time before the a.m. and p.m.?
We prefer using a space between the time and a.m. or p.m.
Is the comma after the year, January 1, 2018 below, correct or not?
Our fiscal year is January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018.
Our Rule 9 of Commas says, “Use a comma to separate the day of the month from the year, and—what most people forget!—always put one after the year, also.” Therefore, your comma is correct.
When writing a date which is correct? 9/26/18 or 9/26/2018
Is it acceptable to write 9/26/18 yet? Surely, no one could assume you mean 1918. Or do we have to wait another hundred years before using the shortcut?
All-numeral styles of writing dates are not recommended in formal writing except with certain dates that may be known that way, such as 9/11 for September 11, 2001. If you choose to use the all-numeral format for a date in informal writing, it is up to you to determine whether the century to which you’re referring is sufficiently clear. There are no hard-and-fast rules governing this area.
When a date range or a time range is written without any prepositions, and use the hyphen, such as business hours information as seen at: https://www.apple.com/retail/infiniteloop/ , should spaces surround the hyphen?
Personally, I like to see the spaces, (used on the Apple website), but grammarbook’s examples are all without spaces.
Thoughts?
As we state in our Rules for Hyphens, we believe there should not be spaces around hyphens in formal prose. Since your example is more like a sign and is not a complete sentence, it might be acceptable to use spaces for business or marketing purposes. We understand the aesthetic of a space when showing a range that connects letters to numbers, as in your example, but for formal written documents we would recommend using to: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
On a formal menu for a wedding – is it proper to write – December 08, 2018 or December 8, 2018
Thank you
Wedding invitations, menus, and the like have their own sets of rules and styles and do not always follow the rules for formal writing. We don’t see any particular advantage to writing “December 08” vs. “December 8,” but the style is up to you.
What is correct?
“We last meet in September, 2018.” or “We last meet in September 2018.”
Since it is not a complete date, the comma is unnecessary. Also, since you are referring to the past, the verb met should be used.
What is correct in an American business letter?
“Thank you for your inquiry on the 30th of June in which you requested information about our range of products.”
or
“Thank you for your inquiry of 30th June in which you requested information about our range of products.”
Also in a subject line for an email:
“Your inquiry about on 30th of June” or “Your inquiry of 30th of June”
I am German and home studying English at the moment, and I came across the problem with the date in American formal business letters. It is quite confusing to me.
I would appreciate a little help. Thank you
Your first sentence is acceptable; however, we recommend simplifying as follows:
“Thank you for your June 30 inquiry in which you requested information about our range of products.”
The subject could be “Your June 30 inquiry.”
Which is correct:
Your December 18, 2018 letter, was received in my office…. OR
Your December 18, 2018, letter was received …
I know the rule says always after the year, but it seems awkward when date used as a reference.
The comma goes after the year.
In a novel, an author writes at the beginning of a paragraph: “At eight AM sharp, all my guests were present at the table.”
Is there a better way to phrase the time? The large capitals seem out of place in the text.
Thanks.
The terms AM and PM are generally used with numerals. As the post states, “Some use numerals with the time of day when exact times are being emphasized.” Therefore, we recommend writing “At 8:00 AM sharp, all my guests were at the table” or “At 8:00 am sharp, all my guests were at the table.”
Is the following correct:
Scheduling is available M-Th 7:30am-4:30pm
I think it should read:
Scheduling is available Monday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm
As the post states, “There are a number of options for expressing date and time ranges.” Both examples are acceptable with added periods at the end of the sentences. The decision depends on how and where the sentence is to be used. For example, the first sentence might be preferred on a sign or in advertising, and the second example might be preferred in a formal context.
I have been having trouble finding the correct way to express a duration of time. For example, when a meeting is an hour and a half long it is expressed in French as “1h30” but this does not seem a correct rendering in English. I have not been able to find any reference as to how it should be written in English. Can you shed some light?
As we mention in the introduction to our Rules for Writing Numbers, this is a complex topic with many exceptions. You may or may not be happy to hear that “the correct way” may consist of numerous acceptable options, including one and a half hours, 1 1/2 hours, one hour and thirty minutes, 1 hour and 30 minutes, 1.5 hours, 90 minutes, etc.
Thanks for the article.
Is it acceptable to write:
On August 13-14, 1956
I’ve seen this in articles. I’m guessing it means something happened between August 13 and 14, but the exact date isn’t known. Thanks.
The word on implies a single date; however, the hyphen indicates through. Therefore, the intention is not clear without seeing the full sentence in context.
Here are two examples:
On the night of August 13-14, 1956, four UFOs were sighted.
An Inaugural Symposium was held at the fledgeling WHNRC on August 13-14, 1981.
The first example appears to be referring to a single nighttime. A clearer expression would be: During the night of August 13-14, 1956, four UFOs were sighted.
For the second sentence we recommend An inaugural symposium was held August 13-14, 1981, at the fledgling WNHRC.
I proofread for court reporters, so it has to be verbatim. I just came across, it was the ’18-19 school year. Did I do this right or should there be another apostrophe before the 19?
There are no specific rules that apply to this kind of specialized usage. We prefer ’18-’19 school year.
When writing an academic paper of high formality, is it acceptable to apply the rules of decades?
As in the examples:
During the ’80s, the world’s economy grew.
During the 1980s, the world’s economy grew.
During the 1980’s, the world’s economy grew.
Or is there one of them I should lean towards in an attempt to sound more formal?
Although they are all grammatically acceptable, we prefer “During the 1980s, the world’s economy grew.” It’s not just that it’s more formal sounding, but it is specific regarding the century you’re referring to, and the apostrophe is simply not necessary.
Do you repeat the year if a range of dates occurs in the same year? Is it “between Sept. 5, 2018, and Nov. 30, 2018,” or is it “between Sept. 5 and Nov. 30, 2018”? Thank you.
It is not necessary to repeat the year.
I have a dilemma- I am embroidering birth info onto quilt squares, and need to know the correct spellings for 12:00 AM as well as 12:05 AM. Since they are twins, I would like to use the same technique for both of them, as well as match the wording on an existing square that reads “Nine: twelve pm.” (Of which the latter is probably incorrect.)
Would “Twelve o’clock a.m.” and “Twelve o’ five a.m.” be acceptable?
Or should I use the standard “12:00 a.m.” and “12:05 a.m.”?
I hope this makes sense!
The rules in this post apply to writing formal prose. Your situation is quite different, and these rules might not be appropriate because of the importance of aesthetics and consistency within the quilt. That being said, writing “Nine: twelve pm” is, while creative, highly unusual (well, okay, to use your word: incorrect). We recommend writing exact times using numerals as writing them out in words can become cumbersome. But you may continue to write them out in words if you wish. Grammatically preferred would be midnight and 12:05 am (or a.m., AM, A.M.), but for the purposes of a quilt you may take liberties: twelve midnight, 12 am, 12:00 am for the first one. For the second: five after midnight, five after twelve midnight, five minutes after midnight, 12:05 am, etc.
I have a question. I’m writing a report for work. The copyeditor has inserted a comma after the year 2018 in every instance of this sentence:
“Donations in this list were received from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.”
It was written
“Donations in this list were received from July 1 2018 through June 30, 2019.”
Which way is correct?
Our Rule 9 of Commas says, “Use a comma to separate the day of the month from the year, and—what most people forget!—always put one after the year, also.” The copy editor is correct.
What about 24 hours/24 hour?
I think this is correct: “The department will hold a non-stop 24 hour competition to design a robot.”
However, my co-worker believes this is correct: “The department will hold a non-stop 24 hours competition to design a robot.” That’s just awkward.
Thanks!
When used as a compound adjective to describe a noun, the correct term is “24-hour.” Our posts Numbers as Adjectives and Hyphens with Numbers explain that when you’re combining two or more words to form a compound adjective in front of a noun, a hyphen is used. This also includes a number and a measurement unit taken together to form an adjective. There is no hyphen in the word nonstop. In addition, our Rule 2 of Commas says, “Use a comma to separate two adjectives when the order of the adjectives is interchangeable.” Therefore, use a comma between nonstop and 24-hour.
The department will hold a nonstop, 24-hour competition to design a robot.
I am proofreading our agency’s annual report but I am not sure how to word the following sentence.
Since its inception in July 2015, 222 low-income fathers have graduated from Dedicated Dads.
Since its inception in July of 2015, 222 low-income fathers have graduated from Dedicated Dads.
The word of is optional. We’d omit it.
Request Pending divisions to Submit before 1 PM of April 29, 2020.
Is this statement correct?
We do not understand the meaning of your sentence. We can only suggest: “… submit [responses] by 1 PM on April 29, 2020.”
Is it correct to write, “Friday, 8 May”?
OR
Is Friday 8 May (with no comma) the correct way to punctuate this entry?
In American English we would write Friday, May 8.
Would you use a comma in 4th of July, 2020 or not?
It has to say 4th of July and not July 4th.
The day-month-year format requires no punctuation.
I’ve started proofreading documents at my firm and the following question came up re comma usage when defining a time period: The rule is to insert a comma after the year when in the middle of the sentence – but is it the correct usage in this instance?
During the period commencing retroactively on August 1, 2020 and continuing through and including December 31, 2020, Rent shall be reduced.
Our Rule 9 of Commas requires us to always put a comma after the year. Therefore, the following is grammatically correct:
During the period commencing retroactively on August 1, 2020, and continuing through and including December 31, 2020, rent shall be reduced.
In writing dialog in fiction is it permissible to just say something like “see you at 5” instead of saying see you at 5:00 p.m.? My latest novel has a lot of time of day references.
Whether you include specific descriptors such as a.m., p.m., this evening, etc., is up to the author in keeping with what a character would say in the context of the dialogue. We more often see the number spelled out unless an exact time is being emphasized. For example, see you at five vs. see you at 5:25.
I’m proof reading something and I’m trying to determine the correct rules for commas when speaking about past time. The follow are two sentences I’m unsure about:
The audit in 1982 indicated worker performance was below standards.
and
An internal UCC report in September 1984 was generated in a nearly identical US plant that warned, “a runaway reaction could occur in the MIC unit storage tanks, and that the planned response would not be timely or effective enough to prevent catastrophic failure of the tanks.”
Is it required to put a comma after 1982 and 1984 respectively as they note a time when these events occurred? Is there a rule about comma usage when speaking about a some point in the past?
Our Rule 9A of Commas says “Use a comma to separate the day of the month from the year, and—what most people forget!—always put one after the year, also.
Example: It was in the Sun’s June 5, 2003, edition.
No comma is necessary for just the month and year.
Example: It was in a June 2003 article.”
No comma is necessary for just the year. The rules are the same for past, present, or future dates. Therefore, your examples do not require commas.
Microsoft WORD always suggests writing dates as January 3rd, 1956, instead of January 3, 1956. The 3rd in a date like that is incorrect, isn’t it? My students are writing it with the rd now because they seem to trust WORD.
Following our examples in the article, we would write either “The meeting was held on January 3, 1956,” or “The meeting was held on the 3rd of January, 1956.” Our personal Word programs are not suggesting changes to those formats. We are not experts at Word, but if you go into the settings, perhaps you can set preferences for dates in the Proofing function within the Word Options section that will eliminate the suggestions your students are experiencing.
Sample:
On this day, November 28, 1948, Donald Trump is born in California, USA.
Question/s:
Is the use of “is” correct? As the writer is trying to emphasize the “on this day” (seems to be out of tune, IMHO).
Or “was” is the correct one to use for this kind of statement?
Because the birth took place in the past, standard treatment would be “On November 28, 1948, Donald Trump was born in California, USA.”
However, it sounds as if the text might appear within a timeline or a narrative in the present tense for stylistic reasons. In that case, the verb tense will be influenced by the content that surrounds it. Referring to the greater context should assist you in in determining whether the treatment is consistent and proper.
How would years such as 1902, 1803, or 2004 be written out?
Thanks.
Although it is rare to see a year written out instead of expressed as a numeral, the standard style would probably be “nineteen hundred and two,” “eighteen hundred and three,” etc.
Which of the following is correct?
Jan ’21
Jan’21 (no space)
Likewise for:
Jan 31, ’21 vs.
Jan 31,’21.
I believe the ones with the spaces are correct, however, I was recently challenged.
Also, is it truly correct to write “Jan 2021” or should we prefer “Jan. 2021”?
Thanks.
We prefer to avoid abbreviated dates in formal writing. We recommend writing January 2021.
We consider the following acceptable for informal writing:
Jan. ’21
Jan. 31, ’21
When writing circulars as a school to parents, are you allowed to write a date 25th April 2021?
In formal writing we recommend April 25, 2021.
Should I use a comma between midnight (or noon) and the date? “The assignment is due by midnight, Monday, June 30” or “The assignment is due by midnight Monday, June 30”?
In formal writing, it would perhaps be more common to write as “…due by midnight on Monday, June 30.” The omission would probably be more common in speech. If we do omit in formal writing, we typically wouldn’t punctuate.
e.g.
Please return the item by 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
Please return the item by 6:00 p.m. Tuesday. (omission but no comma)
By that reasoning, we’d be more likely to write “…due by midnight Monday, June 30.”
Which one is correct?
On this 4th day of June 2021.
On this 4th day of June, 2021.
Thank you!
Since it is a complete date, the comma is correct. Please see Rule 9 of Commas.
Which one has the correct punctuation?
1- The meeting will be held on the second Thursday of March, 2022.
2- The meeting will be held on the second Thursday of March 2022.
Thank you.
The second sentence is punctuated correctly.
Is it correct to write as follows?
– 12th – 18th June 2021?
– 12 – 18th June 2021?
– 12th – 18 2021?
The following are grammatically correct:
12th-18th of June, 2021 or June 12-18, 2021 (using a hyphen in accordance with The Associated Press Stylebook)
12th–18th of June, 2021 or June 12–18, 2021 (using an en dash in accordance with The Chicago Manual of Style)
Please see our Rule 6 of Hyphens for more information.
In regard to business writing, which format is correct?
December 1, 2021 or
December 1st, 2021
Thanks.
In formal writing we recommend December 1, 2021. If the date is in the middle of a sentence, add a comma after the year (Rule 8 of Commas).
I dropped in here today to see about how to refer to an entire month: January 2021 vs. January, 2021. I did not see a rule for that (or did I miss it?). But I did see examples in replies to comments that lead me to infer that the first usage (without the comma) is preferred.
Our Rule 8 of Commas says, “No comma is necessary for just the month and year.” See also Commas with Dates and Series.
Which is correct when referring to dates for more than two years?
… which comprise the balance sheets as of December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019.
… which comprise the balance sheets as of December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019.
Your second example contains an Oxford comma. Our post The Oxford Comma
says, “The answer will depend largely on the types of writing that you compose and particularly the preferences of your school, employer, or editor. Some companies and publications swear by the Oxford comma while others prefer not to use it. Some follow style guides such as MLA or The Chicago Manual of Style that provide their own direction concerning the Oxford comma.”
Which one is correct?
1) On 1 January 1900 he died.
or
2) On 1 January 1900, he died.
I have doubt whether both of them are correct. I have seen dates written both the ways. But one source says there is no need to use the comma after the year in the day-month-year format. Which is correct — the 1st one or the second?
In American English it is written “On January 1, 1900, he died.”
We’re having an office discussion. Is it correct to date a paper/report April 14th, 2022? I maintain in formal writing, April 14, 2022 is the correct format but others disagree. What about more informal writing? Thanks!
s the post indicates, “April 14, 2022,” or “the 14th of April, 2022,” is preferred in formal writing. There are no “rules” for informal writing.
When you refer to a time range (in years) that covers your research, i.e. 2013-2019, can you say, “In the 2013-2019 period, the economy grew at an average annual rate of 6 percent,” or “In 2013-2019, the economy grew at an average annual rate of 6 percent”?
Thank you.
We recommend writing the following:
In 2013-2019, the economy grew at an average annual rate of six percent.
See our post Numbers: Words or Numerals?
What is the proper way to write
Sept. 1 to 14, 2022
and
1 – 4 p.m.?
If a complete date is written within a sentence, use a comma after the year. You may also use an en dash instead of “to.”
Examples:
Sept. 1 to 14, 2022, is the date of the event.
Sept. 1–14, 2022, is the date of the event.
Sept. 1 to 14, 2022
Sept.1–14, 2022
1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
1–4 p.m.
See our post Staying on Target with Ranges for more information.
As I write this it is Nov. 08, 2022. If I want to write about May 2021, is it correct to consider it “last May” or is May 2022 considered “last May”?
Writing “last May” can be ambiguous. To be clear, we recommend writing “May 2021” or “May last year.”
When writing the day of the week, followed by the month and the date of the month (i.e. without the year), is it correct to add e.g. a “st,” as in the example “Wednesday, May 4th”?
Following the examples in this post, we recommend writing either “Wednesday, May 4” or “Wednesday the 4th of May.”
In financial statements we often have many sentences that include a month, day, and two years, for example “June 30, 2023 and 2022.” I know we would have a comma after the year in a sentence in most instances, but this one has always confused me. Would we always have a comma after 2023 and 2022? In many cases we already have a comma after 2022 due to the sentence structure (ex: “during the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, we received…”). It starts to look clunky adding a comma after 2023, but I’m not sure which would be correct.
We advise using a comma after the year in your examples.
Excellent material, examples and tips. Always. Thank you for all this.