Dates are words that tell us about specific days, months, and years. In English, we use ordinal numbers (like first, second, third) for the day part of a date. We can say dates in different ways, like "January fifth" or "the fifth of January." When writing dates, we use commas in the long format: "January 5, 2024." We also use special words called prepositions to talk about when something happens. The most common are "on" for specific days ("on January 5"), "in" for months or years ("in January," "in 2024"), and "at" for specific times ("at 3 PM").

Month Names

There are 12 months in a year, each with a capitalized name. These are the building blocks for saying and writing dates.

Ordinal Numbers for Days

Ordinal numbers show the order of days in a month. We use "first" for 1, "second" for 2, "third" for 3, and so on, usually adding "-th" for most numbers.

Which is the correct ordinal number for the 1st day of the month?

one

firstly

first

once

first

'First' is the ordinal number for 1. Ordinals indicate position or order, such as days in a month.

Common Date Formats

English uses a few different ways to say and write dates. The two most common spoken forms are "January fifth" and "the fifth of January." When writing, American English often uses "January 5," while British English uses "5 January."

Prepositions with Dates

To say when something happens, we use prepositions: "on" for specific days, "in" for months, years, and longer periods, and "at" for exact times. These words help make your meaning clear.

Year Numbers

Years are usually said as whole numbers: "twenty twenty-four" or "two thousand twenty-four." They help us talk about when events happened in the past, present, or future.

How do you say the year 2024 in English?

twenty hundred twenty-four

twenty twenty-four

two thousand twenty-four

two thousand and twenty-four hundred

twenty two hundred four

twenty twenty-four
two thousand twenty-four

You can say 'twenty twenty-four' or 'two thousand twenty-four.' Both are correct and commonly used.

Practice Questions

Each question includes the correct answer and a brief explanation.

(What date is your birthday?) — *My birthday is on July 12th.

Use on + [month] + [ordinal number] to specify the exact date.

(How do you say 21/03/2023 in English?) — *It’s the twenty-first of March, twenty twenty-three.

Use the [ordinal] of [month], followed by the year.

(Which preposition is correct: “ January” or “ 5th”?) — *In January, on the 5th.

Use in for months and on for specific days.

(How do you write July twenty-third, two thousand twenty?) — *July 23, 2020.

Use [Month] [day], [year] with a comma before the year.

(When is Independence Day in the USA?) — *It’s on July 4th.

Use on + [month] + [ordinal] for specific holidays.

Summary

Dates in English use month names, ordinal numbers for days, and years. You can say dates like "January fifth" or "the fifth of January," and write them as "January 5" or "5 January." Use on for days, in for months and years, and at for times. This lets you talk clearly about when things happen.

Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025