In both UK and US styles, there is a difference between how we say and how we write dates.
Compare the spoken versus the written versions:
UK
“We received your email on the 1st of July 2025.”
We received your email on 1 July 2025.
US
“We received your email on July the 1st, 2025.”
We received your email on July 1, 2025.
1st July or July 1st is also correct.
As you will recall, the United Nations uses UK style. For its guidelines on the correct style for dates, see here:
https://www.un.org/dgacm/en/content/editorial-manual/numbers-dates-time
The different order of elements in UK and US styles can lead to confusion.
UK day + month + year
15/9/2025 or 15 September 2025
US month + day comma + year
09/15/2025 or September 15, 2025
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Author: Carol Waites
Presentation/editing by Christina O’Shaughnessy
https://worldwidewriting.org/
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Carol Waites (PhD)
Email: carolswritingtips@gmail.com
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Carol’s memoir of her times at the United Nations, Behind the Flags is available on Amazon and lulu.com