Editor's Corner

There is no one correct way to write the date; many companies favour their own particular layout style. However, there are some basic conventions that should be followed.

Do not use a short form e.g. 6/12/xx, as this indicates different dates in different countries. In American English it is 12 June but in British English it is 6 December.

Do not use short forms of the months e.g. Aug, Sept, as this looks unbusinesslike.

To avoid any confusion, it is best to write the date out in full using the following format: 6 December 2006 – this format also avoids the use of punctuation, i.e. December 6, 20xx.

Remember we speak aloud “the 6th of December 20xx” but we only write the actual day and month e.g. 6 December 20xx.

Whichever model you choose, it is important to be consistent with its use.

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