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Is It Fourth of July or 4th of July?
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As Independence Day approaches, many of you may be wondering how to write the name of the holiday—is it Fourth of July or 4th of July?
The Chicago Manual of Style refers to the holiday as "the Fourth of July" or "the Fourth." The Associated Press Stylebook lists "Fourth of July" and "July Fourth" as acceptable in formal writing.
When expressing the date rather than the holiday, writing either July 4 or the 4th of July is acceptable. When writing a complete date in a sentence, use a comma to separate the day of the month from the year, and—what most people often forget—always put one after the year as well.
Example
On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence. |
You can find more information about writing dates in our post Writing Dates and Times.
Should We Always Capitalize Independence Day?
Independence Day is synonymous with the holiday expressions the Fourth, Fourth of July, and July Fourth. As a holiday, Independence Day is a proper noun that should always be capitalized.
We would not capitalize the phrase if we are using it as a common reference to freedom not related to the United States' declaration of national independence.
Example
My independence day takes place the day my rookie contract expires and releases me into the possibilities of baseball free agency. |
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The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
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What Are Simple Subjects?
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