How do you write the date in a formal letter?

In British English, write "13 April 2026" (no comma). In American English, write "April 13, 2026" (with comma). Always spell out the full month name and use the four-digit year.

What date format does MLA use?

MLA uses the day-month-year format: "13 April 2026." This is the British order, even in American academic writing. No comma is used between the month and year.

Should you use ordinal numbers in formal dates?

In most formal writing, plain numbers are preferred: "April 13" rather than "April 13th." The exception is legal documents, where ordinals are traditional: "this 13th day of April."

How to Write Formal Dates: Business Letters, Essays, and Invitations

Whether you're writing a business letter, an academic essay, a legal document, or a formal invitation, getting the date format right matters. This guide covers how to write dates correctly in every formal context.

General Rules for Formal Dates

Always spell out the month name — write "April" not "Apr" or "4"
Include the full four-digit year — write "2026" not "26"
Avoid purely numeric formats — "04/13/2026" is ambiguous and too informal
Drop ordinal suffixes — "13 April" is preferred over "13th April" in formal writing
Be consistent — use the same format throughout your document

Formal Dates in Business Letters

In a business letter, the date typically appears at the top, before the recipient's address:

British format:

13 April 2026

Mr. James Wilson
Director of Operations
...

American format:

April 13, 2026

Mr. James Wilson
Director of Operations
...

Formal Dates in Essays and Academic Writing

In academic writing, dates should be clear and unambiguous. Most style guides recommend:

Style Guide	Recommended Format	Example
Chicago Manual of Style	Month Day, Year	April 13, 2026
AP Style	Month Day, Year	April 13, 2026
MLA	Day Month Year	13 April 2026
APA	Month Day, Year	April 13, 2026

Note: MLA is the exception — it follows the British day-month-year order even in American academic writing.

Formal Dates in Legal Documents

Legal documents require maximum clarity. Common conventions include:

Spell everything out: "the thirteenth day of April, two thousand twenty-six"
Hybrid: "this 13th day of April, 2026" (ordinals are acceptable in legal writing)
Never use purely numeric dates in legal documents — the ambiguity risk is too high

Formal Dates on Invitations

Wedding invitations, event announcements, and formal invitations typically spell dates out fully:

You are cordially invited to attend

on Sunday, the thirteenth of April

two thousand and twenty-six

Dates in Emails

Business emails are less formal than letters but should still be clear:

Formal email: "The deadline is April 13, 2026."
Semi-formal: "The deadline is Apr 13, 2026."
Avoid: "The deadline is 4/13/26." (ambiguous and too casual)

Common Mistakes in Formal Date Writing

Mistake	Example	Correction
Using numeric format	04/13/2026	April 13, 2026
Comma between month and year	April, 2026	April 2026
Abbreviated year	April 13, '26	April 13, 2026
Missing comma after year (US)	On April 13, 2026 we met.	On April 13, 2026, we met.
Abbreviated month in formal context	Apr 13, 2026	April 13, 2026

For a complete overview of all date formats, see our comprehensive guide to writing dates in English.

Practice Listening to English Dates

Numblr helps you practice hearing and understanding English dates, numbers, money, and more — so you never miss a digit.