Master Using Commas in Dates for Clear Writing

A comma is a small punctuation mark that looks like this: ,

When you write dates like "March 15, 2024," you put the comma between the day number and the year. This separates the different parts of the date so they are easy to read.

Follow this simple rule when writing dates: Month + Day + Comma + Year

Here are some examples of correct date writing:

• January 8, 2025
• September 12, 2023
• December 7, 2024

The comma always goes right after the day number and before the year.

Comma: A punctuation mark (,) that you use to separate parts of sentences and dates

Date: The month, day, and year when something happens, like your birthday or a special event

Day: The number in a date that shows which day of the month, like 15 in March 15

Year: The four numbers that show which year, like 2024 or 2025

Month: The name of the time period like January, March, or September

Punctuation: Special marks like commas and periods that help make writing clear

You can practice using commas in dates by writing important dates in your life. Try writing your birthday, the first day of school, or a holiday with the comma in the right place.

Look for dates on calendars, invitations, and forms to see how commas are used correctly.

Before learning about commas in dates, you should know about End Punctuation Marks and First Word Capitalization. You should also understand Recognizing End Punctuation and Writing Letters For Consonant And Vowel Sounds.

Learning about commas in dates connects to many other writing skills. You will also learn about Ending Sentences With Punctuation and Capitalizing Dates And Names.

Other important topics include Conventions: Punctuation and Capitalization Rules and Spacing Between Words. You will build on this skill when you learn Using Commas In Letter Greetings and Forming Contractions With Apostrophes.