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Days of the week in English: How to read, write correctly & practice exercises

Vocabulary related to days of the week in English is the most fundamental part that you need to grasp before delving into more advanced knowledge. However, even though it may seem simple, we sometimes confuse the days of the week with each other or forget how to pronounce them correctly. In this article, let PREP provide you with detailed and comprehensive information about things in English!

I. Days of the week in English

First of all, let's go through the names of weekdays in English with PREP!

English weekday	Pronunciation	Meaning	Abbreviation
Monday	/ˈmʌndeɪ/	the day of the week after Sunday and before Tuesday, the first day of the working week	Mon
Tuesday	/ˈtjuːzdeɪ/	the day of the week after Monday and before Wednesday	Tue
Wednesday	/ˈwɛnzdeɪ/	the day of the week after Tuesday and before Thursday	Wed
Thursday	/ˈθɜːrzdeɪ/	the day of the week after Wednesday and before Friday	Thu
Friday	/ˈfraɪdeɪ/	the day of the week after Thursday and before Saturday	Fri
Saturday	/ˈsætərdeɪ/	the day of the week after Friday and before Sunday	Sat
Sunday	/ˈsʌndeɪ/	the day of the week after Saturday and before Monday, thought of as either the first or the last day of the week	Sun

II. Rules for Writing the Days of the Week in English

English is divided into two types: British English and American English, which also affect the rules for writing the days of the week in English. However, in this article, PREP will provide you with a complete and detailed introduction to the standard and proper way of writing the days of the week in both types of English!

	British English	American English
Rule	Write the day before the month, with a comma (,) placed after the day.	Write the month before the day, with a comma (,) placed after the day and month.
Order	Day of the week, date, month, year.	Day of the week, date, month, year.
Formula	Day of the week, date (ordinal number) + month+ year.	Day of the week, month + date (ordinal number), year.
Example	Saturday, 21th August 2023.	Saturday, August 21th, 2023.

III. Prepositions and Words Associated with Days of the Week in English

Combining the days of the week in English with appropriate prepositions and accompanying words helps speakers convey their intentions, and it also helps listeners visualize more easily. Below are some prepositions and common words that are often used with the days of the week in English. Let's follow PREP to learn more!

1. On

On + Day of the week	Example
On Monday	Anna’s baby was born on Monday.
On Tuesday	I have a dentist appointment on Tuesday afternoon.
On Wednesday	I usually go to the gym on Wednesday morning.
On Thursday	I’m planning to finish my project presentation on Thursday.
On Friday	I’m looking forward to the weekend; I’m going on a trip on Friday.
On Saturday	I like to sleep in on Saturday.
On Sunday	I enjoy reading the newspaper on Sunday mornings.
On weekdays	I have to go to work early on weekdays.
On weekends	I catch up on my reading on weekends.

2. Every

Every + Day of the week	Example
Every Monday	The concert happens every Monday evening.
Every Tuesday	Our team meeting is scheduled for 10 AM every Tuesday.
Every Wednesday	My favorite TV show airs every Wednesday night.
Every Thursday	The museum offers free entry every Thursday afternoon.
Every Friday	We usually have a casual dress code at work every Friday.
Every Saturday	Let’s have a barbecue at my place every Saturday afternoon.
Every Sunday	We’re going to the farmers’ market every Sunday to buy fresh produce.
Every weekday	The swimming pool is less crowded every weekday.
Every weekend	Every weekend, I like to try out new recipes in the kitchen.

IV. Some idioms including days of the week

At first glance, it may seem simple, but when combining the days of the week in English with other vocabulary, it creates numerous idioms with diverse meanings. Let's go through some of these idioms with PREP!

Idioms including days of the week	Meaning
Blue Monday = Stormy Monday	a Monday on which you feel depressed or unhappy, especially because you have to return to work after the weekend
Monday morning quarterback	a person who criticizes or comments on an event after it has happened
Giving Tuesday	Social event that takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving Day in the United States
Throwback Thursday (TBT)	A trend on social media where users share pictures, posts, or information about the past on Thursdays. This is a way to reminisce, share, and commemorate memories from the past.
Thank God It’s Friday (TGIF)	Phrases expressing happiness and lightness as Friday approaches, preparing to welcome the weekend.
Black Friday	the day after Thanksgiving in the US, the first day of traditional Christmas shopping, when stores have special offers to attract consumers
Casual Friday	in some organizations, a day (often Friday) when employees can wear more informal clothes
Saturday night fever	The feeling of excitement and enthusiasm on Saturday night.
Sunday best	your best clothes
Bloody Sunday	the day (30 January 1972) when British soldiers shot and killed 13 people taking part in a march in Derry, Northern Ireland, to protest against the government putting its political opponents in prison. This event, and the fact that the soldiers were not punished, caused more violence in Northern Ireland, and this led to direct rule.
Hump day	Wednesday, considered as the middle of the working week
Seven-day wonder	A person or thing that maintains fame or attention for a short period of time.

V. Question-Response Structures about Days of the Week in English

To inquire and respond about the topic related to days of the week, we have the following question and answer structures. Let's explore them with PREP in the table below!

Note: The response section is just a suggested prompt from PREP. You can modify it to suit the context best!

Question	Response	Example
What day is it today?	Today is ___.	A: What day is it today? B: Today is Monday.
What’s the date today?	Today is ___.	A: What’s the date today? B: Today is the 21st of August.
When is your favorite day of the week?	My favorite day of the week is ___.	A: When is your favorite day of the week? B: My favorite day of the week is Saturday.
What do you usually do on ___?	I usually ___.	A: What do you usually do on Sunday? B: I usually relax and spend time with my family on Sunday.
Do you have any plans for___?	Yes, I ___. No, I don’t.	A: Do you have any plans for Monday? B: Yes, I have a meeting in the morning and then I’ll be working on a project.
What’s your typical routine on ___?	On ___, I ____.	A: What’s your typical routine on Tuesdays? B: On Tuesdays, I go to the gym in the morning and then attend classes in the afternoon.
Why do you dislike ___?	I dislike ___ because ___.	A: Why do you dislike Mondays? B: I dislike Monday because it usually feels like the start of a long work week.
Are you looking forward to the weekend?	Yes,___. No, I am not.	A: Are you looking forward to the weekend? B: Yes, I’m really looking forward to the weekend.

VI. Tips for quickly memorizing the 7 days of the Week in English

How can we memorize the days of the week in English quickly and easily? In the section below, PREP provides you with two effective memorization techniques. Let's take a look and start using them right away!

1. Through songs

First, PREP will introduce you to a method of learning the days of the week in English through songs - one of the most effective and enjoyable ways to learn vocabulary. Below is a list of songs about the days of the week in English that PREP has gathered for you to reference:

Day of the week song:

7 days of the week:

Additionally, here are some songs specific to each day of the week to help you remember the names of each day:

I Don’t Like Mondays
Ruby Tuesday
Wednesday Morning, 3 AM
Thursday’s Child
Friday I’m in Love
Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting
Easy Like Sunday Morning

To learn the days of the week in English through songs, you can follow the steps that PREP suggests:

Listen regularly: Listen to these songs regularly to create a strong association between the day names and the song content.
Repeat and practice: Repeat listening to the songs and sing along to reinforce the memorization of the day names.
Take notes: Write down the song lyrics or keep a journal of how you are learning the day names through the songs.

2. Linking with the origin

Compared to method 1, method 2 of learning will focus on exploring the origins of the days of the week. You will investigate why the days are named Monday, Tuesday, and so on, as well as the origins of these names. Researching historical information will help you broaden your knowledge and remember the days of the week in the long run. Let's explore this with PREP right away!

Day of the week	Historical origin
Monday	Monday originates from Old English "Monandæg," meaning "Moon's Day."
Tuesday	Tuesday originates from Old English "Tiwesdæg," meaning "Tiw's Day" (referring to the god Tiw).
Wednesday	Wednesday originates from Old English "Wodnesdæg," meaning "Woden's Day" (referring to the god Woden).
Thursday	Thursday originates from Old English "Þūnresdæg," meaning "Þunor's Day" (referring to the god Þunor).
Friday	Friday originates from Old English "Frīgedæg," meaning "Frīge's Day" (referring to the goddess Frigg).
Saturday	Saturday originates from Old English "Sæturnesdæg," meaning "Saturn's Day" (referring to the god Saturn).
Sunday	Sunday originates from Old English "Sunedai," and it has its roots in "Sun's Day" (referring to the Sun).

VII. Exercises on days of the week in English & Detailed answer

Below is a set of exercises about the days of the week in English that PREP has prepared to help you memorize the sentences related to the days of the week in English and practice the rules of writing the day and date in English.

1. Exercise

Exercise 1: True or False

There are seven days in a week.
The day after Wednesday is Monday.
Friday is between Thursday and Saturday.
Monday is the first day of the week.
Wednesday is between Monday and Saturday.

Exercise 2: Write the transcription of the following days in British English and American English

Thursday, 6/5/2001.
Monday, 30/7/1996.
Wednesday, 2/9/2023.
Friday, 13/6/2022.
Tuesday, 15/6/2005.

2. Answer keys

Exercise 1:

TRUE
FALSE
TRUE
FALSE
FALSE

Exercise 2:

British English	American English
Thursday, 6th May, 2001 Monday, 30th July, 1996. Wednesday, 2nd September, 2023. Friday, 13th June, 2022. Tuesday, 15th June, 2005.	Thursday, May 6th, 2001 Monday, July 30th, 1996. Wednesday, September 2nd, 2023. Friday, June 13th, 2022. Tuesday, June 15th, 2005.

Hopefully, the knowledge provided above about the days of the week in English from PREP will help you grasp the writing and pronunciation of the days of the week in English. If you have mastered this knowledge, it's time to upgrade your English proficiency with important exams such as IELTS, and TOEIC.

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.