How to write a date

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Auditgirl

#217588 Wed, 19 Apr 06 12:41 PM

It seems there are lots of ways to indicate a date.

For example, if I want to write a date of April 22, 2006, it is written in diverse ways such as "Apr. 22, 2006, Apr. 22nd, 2006, or 22 April 2006.

What is the difference between them?

Which is appropriate in what occasions or purposes?

I look forward to accurate answer. ...

Auditgirl

Joined on Wed, Apr 19 2006

New Member (09)

Dates, Difference between

Grammar Geek

#217678 Wed, 19 Apr 06 06:44 PM

I think I'm going to start sounding like a broken record, but this is another example of something that is "style" and not "grammar." I say "style" when I mean that there is no different in meaning or logic, and it doesn't violate any rule of grammar. When there are choices involved, you pick a style and stick with it.

First of all, in the US, the month comes first. But I think we're unique in that. My birthday is May 23 or 5/23 here, but 23 May just about everywhere else. (You are all now on notice - you have just under five weeks to prepare an appropriate celebration.)

Rarely is the rd or nd used in text. I wouldn't write that my birthday is May 23rd, and rarely would you use an abbreviation like Apr. in text. But it all depends on your house style. Chicago Manual and AP disagree on a few things.

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (14,781)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Grammar, Abbreviations

Auditgirl

#218293 Fri, 21 Apr 06 07:28 AM

Wow!!!

Thank you so much for the detailed and prompt answer.

It was a great help for me.

HaHa.. well, my birthday is April 22 (no abbreviation in text!!! I will remember.), so you have only one day to prepare..

Thank you again....

Auditgirl

Abbreviations

Anonymous

#375363 Tue, 05 Jun 07 03:43 PM

can any one please help me? im from south america and i dont know if this is ok.. "Tuesday the 5th of june" or "Tuesday 5th of june" or either way works. the thing is that we are translating a web site, and we dont know how to write the date.
thanks for any help...

Anonymous

Dates

Grammar Geek

#375379 Tue, 05 Jun 07 04:01 PM

June has a capital J.

Tuesday, the fifth of June - this is quite formal - sounds like a wedding invitation.

Tuesday, June 5 - this would be the American way

Tuesday, 5 June - this would be the European way

Tuesday, 5th June - don't use this

Grammar Geek

Weddings, Invitations

Anonymous

#375391 Tue, 05 Jun 07 04:15 PM

(sorry, can't log in on this computer)

Actually, Tuesday, 5th June would be first choice in BrE.

Lil' Ruby Rose

Anonymous

Grammar Geek

#375869 Wed, 06 Jun 07 03:22 PM

My apologies. You DO you use the st and th and nd in running text, then? I didn't know that.

So I'll see you on Monday, 11th June, and I can't wait to meet your new boyfriend. - That's the preferred BrE style in writing? (Because we SAY eleventh and not eleven, but we rarey write it that way.)

Grammar Geek

Anonymous

#498900 Thu, 10 Apr 08 11:33 AM

Hello.

It depends on where you are in the world, as to how you write a date.

US version: Month/day/year

UK version: Day Month year

North Europe: Year Month day

So its best to write the day in numbers, month in letters and year in full.

What I mean? I mean 09 April 2008 or 9 Apr.2008 as this makes it clear what each part stands for.

Hope this could help you!

Bye

Anonymous

Dates, Numbers

Cool Breeze

#498981 Thu, 10 Apr 08 01:51 PM

Grammar Geek
My apologies. You DO you use the st and th and nd in running text, then? I didn't know that.

So I'll see you on Monday, 11th June, and I can't wait to meet your new boyfriend. - That's the preferred BrE style in writing? (Because we SAY eleventh and not eleven, but we rarey write it that way.)

Hi GG

I am about as British as you are Finnish. Smile However, I do know that there's much more variety in writing the date in BrE than in AmE. Many Brits do use th in running text the way you indicate, but not all. Some put the day before the month, some put it after the month the way Americans almost invariably do. It has become fashionable in recent years to even leave out the comma: April 10 2008. This is how a respectable newspaper called The Guardian writes the date even in running text. I think quite a few elderly Brits find it a little odd, though.

Cheers

Cool Breeze

Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006

Helsinki, Finland

Senior Member (2,541)

The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.- Mark Twain

Commas, Grammar, Dates

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