Months in English: A complete beginner’s guide to names and usage

Learning the months in English is one of the first steps in mastering time expressions for new language learners. Whether you’re planning a trip, scheduling an appointment, or simply improving your everyday vocabulary, knowing month names helps you communicate clearly about dates and times.

What are the 12 months in English?

The English calendar has 12 wonderful months that follow a set order and always start with capital letters when written down. Each month has its own spelling, short form, and number of days – making them super helpful for talking about when things happen.

Here are the 12 months in English in their correct order:

1. January (Jan) – 31 days

2. February (Feb) – 28 days (29 in leap years)

3. March (Mar) – 31 days

4. April (Apr) – 30 days

5. May (May) – 31 days

6. June (Jun) – 30 days

7. July (Jul) – 31 days

8. August (Aug) – 31 days

9. September (Sep) – 30 days

10. October (Oct) – 31 days

11. November (Nov) – 30 days

12. December (Dec) – 31 days

Names, order and abbreviations

Let’s get to know the months in English by season groups – this makes them much easier to remember! Each month has its own story and a handy short form for quick writing.

January–March

The year kicks off with these winter months (or summer if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere):

• January: First month, abbreviated as Jan

• February: Second month, abbreviated as Feb

• March: Third month, abbreviated as Mar

April–June

Spring brings these lovely months (or autumn in the Southern Hemisphere):

• April: Fourth month, abbreviated as Apr

• May: Fifth month, abbreviated as May

• June: Sixth month, abbreviated as Jun

May is the only month that doesn’t need shortening for its abbreviation – how convenient!

July–September

Summer heats up with these months (or winter in the Southern Hemisphere):

• July: Seventh month, abbreviated as Jul

• August: Eighth month, abbreviated as Aug

• September: Ninth month, abbreviated as Sep

October–December

The year winds down with these autumn months (or spring in the Southern Hemisphere):

• October: Tenth month, abbreviated as Oct

• November: Eleventh month, abbreviated as Nov

• December: Twelfth month, abbreviated as Dec

Here’s something fun: October through December are named after numbers (eight, nine, and ten) – but they’re actually our 10th, 11th, and 12th months!

Pronunciation guide

Let’s face it – saying month names correctly makes conversations flow better and helps others understand you right away!

Here’s how to pronounce each month:

• January: /ˈdʒænjuˌɛri/ (JAN-you-err-ee)

• February: /ˈfɛbjuˌɛri/ (FEB-roo-err-ee)

• March: /mɑːrtʃ/ (march)

• April: /ˈeɪprəl/ (AY-prul)

• May: /meɪ/ (may)

• June: /dʒuːn/ (joon)

• July: /dʒuˈlaɪ/ (joo-LYE)

• August: /ˈɔːɡəst/ (AW-gust)

• September: /sɛpˈtɛmbər/ (sep-TEM-ber)

• October: /ɒkˈtoʊbər/ (ok-TOE-ber)

• November: /noʊˈvɛmbər/ (no-VEM-ber)

• December: /dɪˈsɛmbər/ (dee-SEM-ber)

Tricky consonant clusters

Some months have sound combinations that can be a bit challenging:

• February: Many people simplify the “br” sound in the middle. You’ll often hear “FEB-you-err-ee” in everyday speech.

• March: The final “ch” sound is unique – not just a “c” or “h” but a special sound made by pushing air through a narrow space in your mouth.

• September: The “pt” combination needs a quick switch from “p” (lips) to “t” (tongue).

• December: For the “mb” sequence, make sure to finish the “m” before starting the “b” sound.

Vowel contrasts

The vowel sounds help you tell similar months apart:

• June vs. July: June has a long “oo” sound (/uː/), while July has “oo” followed by “eye” (/uˈlaɪ/).

• May vs. March: May uses a long “a” (/eɪ/), while March uses a broader “ah” sound (/ɑː/).

• January vs. February: Focus on the different opening sounds: “Jan” (/dʒæn/) versus “Feb” (/fɛb/).

• October vs. November vs. December: All end with “-ber” but start differently with “Oc” (/ɒk/), “No” (/noʊ/), and “De” (/dɪ/).

Keep practicing these sounds – your pronunciation will get better with each try!

Days in each month and leap year facts

Let’s look at how many days each month has – it’s super helpful when planning ahead!

Here’s the breakdown of days in each month:

• January: 31 days

• February: 28 days (29 in leap years)

• March: 31 days

• April: 30 days

• May: 31 days

• June: 30 days

• July: 31 days

• August: 31 days

• September: 30 days

• October: 31 days

• November: 30 days

• December: 31 days

Quick facts to remember:

• 7 months have 31 days

• 4 months have 30 days

• 1 month (February) has 28 days (or 29 in leap years)

Months with 31 days

The seven longer months follow a fun pattern – they alternate with shorter months except for July and August, which both have 31 days. This happened because these months were named after Roman emperors who wanted their months to be equally impressive!

The months with 31 days are:

• January: First month of the year

• March: Third month, bringing spring in the Northern Hemisphere

• May: Fifth month, named after the goddess Maia

• July: Seventh month, honoring Julius Caesar

• August: Eighth month, honoring Emperor Augustus

• October: Tenth month

• December: Twelfth and final month

Months with 30 days

Four months have exactly 30 days, nicely spaced throughout the year.

The months with 30 days are:

• April: Fourth month, known for spring showers

• June: Sixth month, when summer begins in the North

• September: Ninth month, marking the start of autumn

• November: Eleventh month, when many harvest festivals happen

February and leap years

February is the odd one out with just 28 days – except during leap years when it gets an extra day! This makes February special in our calendar.

• February normally has 28 days

• In leap years, February has 29 days

• Leap years happen every 4 years (with a few exceptions)

• The next leap year will be in 2028

• Leap years keep our calendar in sync with the Earth’s journey around the sun

The leap year rule works like this:

1. Years divisible by 4 are leap years

2. Exception: Century years are not leap years unless divisible by 400

3. Years divisible by 400 are leap years

Without this clever system, our calendar would slowly drift away from the seasons.

How to remember the months quickly

Want to master the months in English without spending hours memorizing? These fun tricks will help you remember all twelve months in the right order – and you’ll never mix them up again!

Knuckle method step-by-step

The knuckle method is a hands-on way to remember which months have 31 days:

1. Make two fists and put them side by side, knuckles up

2. Start with January on your left pinky knuckle

3. Move across your knuckles and dips – knuckles have 31 days, dips have 30 (except February)

4. When you reach July (right index knuckle), go back to August (left index knuckle)

The raised knuckles are your 31-day months, while the dips between them are your 30-day months (with February being the special case).

First-letter grouping trick

Make the first letters stick with these catchy phrases:

• JFM: Jam For Me (January, February, March)

• AMJ: Amazing Magic Journey (April, May, June)

• JAS: Jump And Swim (July, August, September)

• OND: Open New Doors (October, November, December)

Or try the classic rhyme: “30 days has September, April, June, and November. All the rest have 31, except February alone, which has 28 days clear, and 29 in each leap year.”

Try each method for a few minutes and see which clicks with you!

5. Using months correctly in dates

Knowing how to use months in dates helps you sound more natural when making plans or talking about events. Let’s look at the different ways English speakers write and say dates – it’s simpler than you might think!

Capitalisation rules

Month names always get capital letters in English, no exceptions:

• Correct: We’re traveling in August.

• Incorrect: We’re traveling in august.

• Correct: The meeting is on Jan. 15.

• Incorrect: The meeting is on jan. 15.

Most month abbreviations use the first three letters (Jan, Feb, Mar). American English often adds a period (Jan.), while British English typically skips it (Jan). Either way, that capital letter stays!

US vs. UK date order

The US and UK write dates differently – this small detail can change the meaning completely:

• US format: Month/Day/Year (08/05/2025 means August 5)

• UK format: Day/Month/Year (08/05/2025 means May 8)

When writing dates in full:

• US style: August 5, 2025

• UK style: 5 August 2025

For international clarity, many people use the YYYY-MM-DD format (2025-08-05). This works wonderfully for organizing files and avoids any confusion about which number means what!

Prepositions in and on

The right prepositions make your English sound smooth and natural. Here’s the simple pattern:

Use “in” with:

• Months: We always go skiing in January.

• Seasons: The flowers bloom in spring.

• Years: I was born in 1995.

Use “on” with:

• Specific dates: The meeting is on August 5.

• Days of the week: Let’s meet on Monday.

• Special days: What are you doing on New Year’s Eve?

For broader time periods, stick with “in”: “in the 21st century” or “in the 1980s.” When combining elements, keep each preposition: “The party is on Friday, in December.”

Practice months in English with exercises

Let’s put your month knowledge to the test with some fun exercises!

Fill-in-the-blank

Complete these sentences with the correct month:

1. The first month of the year is _______.

2. _______ is the shortest month with only 28 days (29 in leap years).

3. Summer officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere in _______.

4. The last month of the year is _______.

5. In the US, Independence Day is celebrated on July 4th, while Canada Day is on July 1st, both in _______.

6. Halloween is celebrated on October 31st, in _______.

7. Many countries celebrate Labor Day in _______, the fifth month.

8. The ninth month of the year is _______.

9. _______ comes right before December.

10. Spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere in _______.

Give it a try without peeking back! You can check your answers at the end of this article.

Multiple choice

Pick the best answer for each question:

1. Which month comes after April? a) March b) May c) June

2. Which month has 30 days? a) July b) January c) April

3. What’s the correct abbreviation for August? a) Ag b) Au c) Aug

4. Which month is correctly written? a) february b) February c) FEBRUARY

5. In which month does winter officially begin in the Northern Hemisphere? a) November b) December c) January

6. Which preposition is correct: “My birthday is ___ August.” a) in b) on c) at

7. Which date format is used in the UK? a) Month/Day/Year b) Day/Month/Year c) Year/Month/Day

8. Which pair of months both have 31 days? a) June and July b) July and August c) April and May

9. Which is the correct spelling? a) Febuary b) Feburary c) February

10. Today is August 5. What month will it be in 6 months? a) January b) February c) March

Common mistakes with months in English

Don’t worry if you mix up month names sometimes – even fluent speakers make these mistakes! Let’s look at what trips people up and how you can avoid these common errors in your everyday conversations.

Spelling errors

Month names have some tricky letter combinations that can be challenging to remember:

• February: Often written as “Febuary” (missing the first r)

• September: Commonly spelled as “Septmber” (missing the e)

• November: Sometimes appears as “Novmber” (missing the e)

• December: Occasionally written as “Decmber” (missing the e)

• August: Might be spelled “Agust” (missing the u)

Quick fix: Try creating a mental image for each tricky month. For February, picture a “Feb-RU-ary” calendar with RU (Russia) highlighted on it. For months with “ember” endings, think of glowing embers – they all need that “e”!

Pronunciation slips

Some month names just don’t sound how they look on paper:

• February: Many native speakers say “Feb-yu-ary” rather than pronouncing both r’s

• January: The middle can sound mushy, like “Jan-yoo-ry”

• July: Remember to stress the second syllable (ju-LY), not the first

• April: Keep it crisp – it’s “Ay-pril,” not “Ay-per-il”

• September through December: All stress the middle syllable, not the first

Quick fix: Listen to month pronunciations on language apps, then practice saying them aloud. Record yourself and compare – you’ll hear the difference!

Grammar mix-ups

The way we use months in sentences follows specific patterns:

• Capitalization: Always capitalize month names (January, not january)

• Prepositions: Use “in” with months (“in May”), not “at” or “on”

• Articles: Don’t use “the” before months (say “in June,” not “in the June”)

• Possessives: Avoid apostrophes with months as adjectives (say “August heat,” not “August’s heat”)

• Pluralization: Don’t add -s when talking about recurring events (say “every December,” not “every Decembers”)

Quick fix: Create a few template sentences with correct grammar and use them as models when you write or speak about dates.

With a bit of practice, you’ll soon be using month names correctly without even thinking about it! If you want to speed up your progress, a Preply tutor can give you personalized feedback on these tricky spots and help you sound more natural when talking about dates and times.

Keep learning with Preply

You’ve got all 12 months down – congratulations! Now you can confidently talk about dates, make plans, and schedule events without hesitation.

Want to speed up your progress? Nothing beats learning with a real teacher who can listen to your pronunciation and give you instant feedback. A Preply tutor can help you practice these calendar terms in real conversations about travel plans, work schedules, and special events.

Ready for your next language milestone? Find a tutor and start learning today with online English tutors. Your perfect language partner is just a click away!

Answers to months in English exercises

Great job completing those exercises! Let’s see how you did with the month names and usage.

Answers to fill-in-the-blank

Here are the correct answers:

1. January

2. February

3. June

4. December

5. July

6. October

7. May

8. September

9. November

10. March

Got most of them right? Fantastic! If you missed a few, just review those specific months again.

Answers to multiple choice

Check your answers:

1. b) May

2. c) April

3. c) Aug

4. b) February

5. b) December

6. a) in

7. b) Day/Month/Year

8. b) July and August

9. c) February

10. b) February

These questions test both your knowledge of month names and how to use them correctly. The preposition questions can be tricky, so don’t feel bad if you missed those!

Find a tutor and start learning today.

FAQs about months in English

Still have questions about English months? Here are quick answers to some common queries that will help you use month names with confidence!

Are months capitalised in English?

Yes, all month names in English must be capitalized – always! This applies to both full names (January, February) and their abbreviations (Jan, Feb). English treats month names as proper nouns, just like people’s names or countries. So whether you’re writing a formal email or texting a friend, keep those capital letters for January through December.

How do I pronounce February?

February has two common pronunciations: /ˈfɛbruˌɛri/ (FEB-roo-er-ee) with both r sounds, and the simplified /ˈfɛbjuˌɛri/ (FEB-yoo-er-ee) where the first r is softened. Don’t worry – both versions are perfectly acceptable in everyday conversation! Many native speakers use the simplified version, so choose whichever feels more natural when you speak.

Which months have 31 days?

Seven months have 31 days: January, March, May, July, August, October, and December. Need a quick way to remember? Look at your knuckles! Make fists and place them side by side – each knuckle represents a 31-day month, while the dips between them show months with fewer days. This handy trick works every time!

Why does February change in a leap year?

February gets an extra day in leap years because Earth’s orbit isn’t exactly 365 days – it’s about 365.25 days! Without leap years, our calendar would slowly drift away from the actual seasons. By adding a day to February every four years (with a few exceptions for century years), we keep our calendar in perfect harmony with nature’s rhythm. So February sometimes has 28 days, sometimes 29 – making it the most unique month of all!