How to Correctly Punctuate Dates

Proper use of commas often confuses people. One area that is often confusing is proper punctuation for writing dates. Writing the date properly in a sentence takes attention to detail, but it is easy to remember once it has been learned. The month, day, and year format is the standard for this guide and require a specific type of punctuation. All it takes is two commas to properly set the date off from the rest of the sentence.

Step 1

Place a comma between the day and the year. Example: We celebrated with fireworks on July 4, 2010.

Step 2

Place a comma after the year if the sentence continues. Example: We celebrated with fireworks on July 4, 2010, when he came home from Iraq.

Step 3

Place a comma after the day of the week, if it is known. Example: Today is Wednesday, May 11, 2011.

Step 4

Do not use commas when only the month and year are mentioned. Example: We celebrated in July 2010 when he came home.

Step 5

Use an apostrophe to indicate a decade or a year of graduation. Example: She was born in the '90s.