# Does one use ordinal numbers in commercial writing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-one-use-ordinal-numbers-in-commercial-writing/675414>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 3, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-one-use-ordinal-numbers-in-commercial-writing/675414 "2013-12-03T23:02:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-one-use-ordinal-numbers-in-commercial-writing/675414/41 "2013-12-05T16:02:12Z")

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I always appreciate it when dates include the day of the week. It saves me the nuisance of having to drag out a calendar to check. I organize scheduled events in my mind by days of the week. Friday is my dental appointment. Next Tuesday I’m meeting a coworker for lunch.

I wonder if the OP’s client works with computers? I do and I always include leading zeroes. May 05, 2014. June 09, 2014. It’s a habit I learned after 25 years programming and verifying computer generated reports. Try naming your files 1class\_grade.xls, 2class\_grades.xls through 32class\_grades.xls. Then look at the jumbled mess in Explorer. That’s why computer literate people use leading zeroes.

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**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-one-use-ordinal-numbers-in-commercial-writing/675414/42 "2013-12-05T16:41:49Z")

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> [@Learjeff](#):
>
> According to Strunk & White, “April 1” and “the 1st of April” are correct. April 1st is incorrect, despite being common in speech. April 01st is just plain goofy looking, and would catch anyone’s eye as being odd.
> 
> Now, S&W isn’t the be-all and end-all of correct grammar, but if you follow it, you have a leg to stand on if anyone brings it up. Also, if you follow S&W, you’ll be following a style that’s been widely recognized for a long time. It may not be best, but it’s nearly always safe.
> 
> I’d omit leading zeros unless using the date in a format such as 2013-04-01 (which I wouldn’t use in this context.)

Is this a 2013-04-01 joke ? 🙂

But I agree with you.

I usually write 2013.04.01 Would this be usable in data processing ?

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**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-one-use-ordinal-numbers-in-commercial-writing/675414/43 "2013-12-05T17:47:38Z")

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> [@Gymnopithys](#):
>
> Is this a 2013-04-01 joke ? 🙂

Haha, fooled you! (No, not really – it didn’t even occur to me that the original example was April Fools’ Day!)

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