A comprehensive summary method of reading years in English you need to master

You may have been studying English for many years, but have you truly memorized and understood all of the rules for reading years in English? In the article below, PREP will provide a fully comprehensive summary of all methods for reading years in English to help you grasp them clearly.

I. Methods for reading years in English

Below are all of the methods for reading year numbers in English that you should save to remember longer!

1. Reading years in English with two digits

For years with 1-2 digits: The reading method is similar to normally counting numbers in English. The specific reading methods are shown in the table below:

The reading methods of decade word are shown in the table below:

For 2-digit years from 21-99, is formulated by: 

The decade word + single digit number (1 to 9).

For example:

• 24 (twenty-four)
• 46 (forty-six)
• 99 (ninety-nine)

2. Reading years in English with three digits

For 3-digit years, there are 2 reading methods below:

• Rule 1: The hundred digit + hundred + and + the remaining two-digit number. For example: 
  • 246 is read as two hundred and forty-six.
  • 206 is read as two hundred and six.
• Rule 2: Read the first digit, then continue reading the remaining two-digit number. For example:
  • 246 is read as two forty-six.
  • 356 is read as three fifty-six. 

3. Reading years in English with four digits

Cases of reading years in English with four digits

4. Some other rules

II. Methods for reading years in English along with the date and month 

Methods for reading years in English along with the date and month will have some differences between British English and American English, specifically as follows:

1. British English

For the British English style, the formula for reading years in English along with the date and month will be:

The + date + (of) + month (,) year

That is, the date is written before the month and year (dd/mm/yyyy). The article "the" stands before the date, the preposition "of" can be omitted.

For example:

• The eleventh of October, 2023.
• The fifth of July, 2010.

2. American English

For the American English style, the formula for reading years in English along with the date and month will be:

Month + (the) + date (,) year

The month is always written before the date and year (mm/dd/yyyy). The article "the" can be omitted, and the comma is placed before the year.

For example:

• July (the) second, 2023 or July 2nd, 2023.
• October (the) third 2021 or October 3rd, 2021.

III. Methods for reading the year along with the day of the week, date and month

The way of reading the year along with the day of the week, date and month also has two styles of British English and American English.

1. British English

In the British English style, the day of the week, date and month are read according to the rule:

Day of the week, date + month, year

For example:

• Friday, the twenty-third (of) September, 2023. 
• Sunday, the twelfth (of) May, 2022.

2. American English

In the American English style, the day of the week, date and month are read according to the rule:

Day of the week, month + date, year

For example:

• Tuesday, April (the) fourteenth, 2023 or Tuesday, April 14th, 2023.
• Wednesday, August (the) first, 2020 or Wednesday, August 1st, 2020.

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