It can be confusing to remember when to use commas in dates, especially because not everyone uses the same date format! Show
In the American month–date–year format, a comma goes after the date. But in inverted style dates, you don’t need a comma. Today, we’re taking a deep dive into how to use commas when you write dates. Contents:
Do You Need a Comma to Separate the Day from the Month?Different styles of English have different ways of writing dates, and the comma rules change depending on the type of English. The American format writes the month first, followed by the date, then the year if necessary. In this format, only place a comma after the date and before the year. If there’s no year, no comma is necessary.
However, the British style uses the date–month–year format. Do not put a comma between the date and the month in this format.
These two rules apply to freestanding dates, like the examples above, as well as dates in sentences.
You may sometimes use ordinal numbers when you write a date. When you do, the comma rules are the same. But if you say, for example, “the 15th of June,” don’t use a comma no matter which style of English you’re using.
However, it’s best to avoid ordinal numbers in dates in formal writing. Do You Need a Comma to Separate the Month from the Year?You don’t need commas in dates when you only write the month and year, regardless of whether you’re using British or American English.
When you use the ordinal number and “of” to write a date, you can place a comma after the month and before the year in a sentence, but it’s optional. Both of these examples are correct:
A grammar guru, style editor, and writing mentor in one package.Try it for free!Do You Need a Comma after the Day of the Week?Sometimes, you might include the day of the week when you write a date. Whether you’re using month–day–year format or inverted dates, place a comma after the day of the week.
But if you use an ordinal number plus “the” and “of” for the date, you don’t need a comma after the day of the week. In other words, if you use “the,” don’t use a comma.
Do You Need a Comma after the Year in a Date?Sometimes, the date appears in the middle of a sentence. If you’re writing the entire date, place a comma after the year in the American format.
You don’t need a comma after the year in the British format, unless the date is at the end of a dependent clause. Follow normal comma rules for dependent clauses.
When you write just the month and the year, do not put a comma after the year in the middle of a sentence. This applies to both American English and British English.
Did you know you can change the style of English in ProWritingAid? Don’t worry about remembering all the tricky differences between British and American English. Just change the language by clicking on the flag in your settings bar. Examples of Commas in Dates in SentencesHere are a few more examples of how to use commas in dates:
In short, you’ll typically only use commas after the date or year in the American date format, not the British date format. But you should always use a comma after the day of the week, unless you’re using “the” + ordinal number. Commas don’t have to be tricky. Avoid missing and misplaced commas in dates by using our free grammar checker. Subscribe for writing hacks, special offers and free stuff We will not share your details Go Have you tried ProWritingAid yet? What are you waiting for? It's the best tool for making sure your copy is strong, clear, and error-free!Krystal N. CraikerBlog Manager and Indie Author Krystal N. Craiker is the Writing Pirate, an indie romance author and blog manager at ProWritingAid. She sails the seven internet seas, breaking tropes and bending genres. She has a background in anthropology and education, which brings fresh perspectives to her romance novels. When she’s not daydreaming about her next book or article, you can find her cooking gourmet gluten-free cuisine, laughing at memes, and playing board games. Krystal lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, child, and basset hound. Check out her website or follow her on Instagram: @krystalncraikerauthor. Do you put a comma before and after the year in a sentence?When the date appears in the middle of a sentence, commas should appear both before and after the year. The store closed its doors for good on Wednesday, October 15, 1958. Her arrival on Monday, April 11, 1988, was considered a turning point for the company.
Is there a comma after january 2022?The American format writes the month first, followed by the date, then the year if necessary. In this format, only place a comma after the date and before the year. If there's no year, no comma is necessary. However, the British style uses the date–month–year format.
Do you put a comma after in 1990?1) Always use a comma with an introductory element or statement. That means any time you say something like “In 2019…,” “In fact…,” or “When the association was founded…,” a comma should follow it. Take the following example: When we started the association in 1990, Internet privacy wasn't a primary concern.
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