DATES & YEARS in British & American English

Summary

In this informative video, Lucy explains the differences between American and British date formats, emphasizing that Americans say the month first, while Brits say the day first. She clarifies the distinction between cardinal and ordinal numbers, highlighting the importance of using abbreviations for ordinal dates and capitalizing months. Lucy also provides tips on pronouncing years, particularly those before and after 2000, stressing the necessity of including 'and' when stating years in the 2000s. Overall, this lesson serves as a definitive guide for mastering date expression in English.

Takeaways

• 😀 Americans say the month first, then the day, followed by the year (e.g., June 10th, 1994), while Brits say the day first (e.g., 10th June 1994).
• 😀 Understanding the difference between cardinal numbers (one, two, three) and ordinal numbers (first, second, third) is crucial for writing dates correctly.
• 😀 Ordinal numbers are abbreviated as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., and this format is used when writing dates in full.
• 😀 Months are always capitalized when written, and correct pronunciation of month names is important.
• 😀 The British version of dates includes 'the' and 'of' when spoken (e.g., 'the 10th of June 1994').
• 😀 When stating years, numbers before the millennium are often split into two parts (e.g., 18|25 for 1825).
• 😀 For years after 2000, you can say 'twenty' followed by the number (e.g., 'twenty twenty') or say the full number (e.g., 'two thousand and seventeen').
• 😀 It's essential to include 'and' when stating years starting with 'two thousand' (e.g., 'two thousand and one').
• 😀 Pronunciation nuances include using the schwa sound for smoother speech (e.g., 'two thousand and seventeen').
• 😀 The video encourages viewers to connect on social media for additional resources and live lessons.

Q & A

What is the main difference between American and British date formats?

The main difference is that Americans say the month first, followed by the day and then the year (e.g., June 10th, 1994), while British people say the day first, followed by the month and then the year (e.g., 10th June 1994).

What are cardinal and ordinal numbers?

Cardinal numbers are used for counting (e.g., one, two, three), while ordinal numbers are used for ordering (e.g., first, second, third).

How are ordinal numbers abbreviated when writing dates?

Ordinal numbers are abbreviated using the suffixes 'st', 'nd', 'rd', and 'th' (e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th).

Why is it important to capitalize month names?

Months should always be written with a capital letter to follow the rules of English grammar.

What does Lucy say about the use of 'the' and 'of' in spoken dates?

Lucy explains that while you write dates without 'the' and 'of' (e.g., 10th June 1994), it's necessary to say 'the 10th of June 1994' when speaking to make it sound natural.

How do we pronounce years before the millennium?

For years before the millennium, we split them into two sections, such as 'nineteen ninety-four' for 1994.

How should we pronounce years starting from 2000?

For years starting from 2000, it's important to include 'and' when stating the date, such as 'two thousand and one' for 2001.

What pronunciation tip does Lucy provide for the year 2010?

Lucy mentions that for 2010, one can say either 'twenty ten' or 'two thousand and ten', but using 'and' is essential when stating years starting with 2000.

What is the significance of the schwa sound in date pronunciation?

The schwa sound helps in connecting syllables smoothly when pronouncing years, as in 'two thousand and seventeen', making it sound more natural.

How does Lucy encourage viewer engagement?

Lucy encourages viewers to connect with her on social media, particularly for her free live pronunciation lessons every Sunday at 16:30 GMT.