Months of the Year in English

The months of the year are one of the first things you learn when studying English. They are important for talking about dates, birthdays, holidays, seasons, and plans. In English, there are 12 months in a year. Each month has a name, a short form, a number of days, and a place in a specific season.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the 12 months of the year in English. We’ll go over the full names and abbreviations (short forms) of each month, how many days each one has, and which season they belong to. You’ll also see clear examples to help you understand how to use the months in sentences, along with simple tips to remember their order and meanings.

The 12 Months of the Year in English

Here’s a table that shows all 12 months, their short forms, number of days, and the season they belong to (based on the Northern Hemisphere):

Notes:

• February usually has 28 days, but in a leap year (every 4 years), it has 29 days.

• In formal writing, we often use the full month name. In informal writing (like notes, calendars, or lists), we often use the short form.

• In American English, “Fall” is used instead of “Autumn.” Both are correct.

How to Pronounce the Months in English

Some English month names can be a little tricky to pronounce—especially if you’re new to the language. Here’s a pronunciation guide using common English sounds (plus IPA) to help you say each month clearly and correctly:

Examples Using Months in Sentences

Here are some clear and easy sentence examples using all 12 months of the year:

• It often snows in January.

• Valentine’s Day is in February.

• Flowers start to bloom in March.

• Her wedding is in April.

• We have a family picnic in May.

• School usually ends in June.

• I was born in July.

• We go to the beach every August.

• School starts in September.

• People celebrate Halloween in October.

• We have a big dinner in November for Thanksgiving.

• We celebrate Christmas in December.

Grammar Tip: When writing months:

• Always capitalize the first letter (January, not january)

• We usually use “in” before the month (e.g., in March)

Using Months with Dates (Day + Month + Year)

In English, dates are often written and spoken in two different ways depending on the region:

American English Format (Month-Day-Year):

• January 5, 2024

• Spoken as: “January fifth, twenty twenty-four”

• Example: My birthday is on January 5, 2024.

British English Format (Day-Month-Year):

• 5 January 2024

• Spoken as: “The fifth of January, twenty twenty-four”

• Example: My birthday is on 5 January 2024.

Examples:

• I was born on June 12, 2000. (US style)

• Her wedding is on 14 February 2025. (UK style)

• We moved here in October 2021. (when no exact day is given, we use “in”)

Grammar Tip:

• Use “on” for exact dates: on March 3rd

• Use “in” for months and years only: in March, in 2023

Days in Each Month – Easy Trick to Remember

There’s a famous rhyme that helps many English learners remember how many days each month has:

“Thirty days hath September,
April, June, and November.
All the rest have thirty-one,
Except February alone,
Which has twenty-eight days clear,
And twenty-nine in each leap year.”

Or use the knuckle trick with your hands:

• Make fists with both hands.

• Count your knuckles and spaces to find 31-day and 30-day months.

• Every knuckle = 31 days, every dip = 30 (except February).

Months and the Seasons

In most English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere, the seasons are:

• Winter: December, January, February

• Spring: March, April, May

• Summer: June, July, August

• Autumn (Fall): September, October, November

Example:

• My birthday is in May, which is in spring.
• We go to the beach in August because it’s summer.
• We celebrate Christmas in December, a special time in winter.
• People dress up for Halloween in October, during fall.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Months in English

Q: How many months have 31 days?
A: Seven: January, March, May, July, August, October, December.

Q: Which month has the fewest days?
A: February – it has 28 days (or 29 in leap years).

Q: What’s the shortest way to write the month names?
A: Use abbreviations like Jan., Feb., Mar., etc.

Q: Is “Fall” the same as “Autumn”?
A: Yes! Fall is American English; Autumn is British English.

Q: What is the first month of the year?
A: The first month of the year is January.

Q: What is the last month of the year?
A: The last month of the year is December.

Q: How many months are in a year?
A: There are 12 months in a year.

Q: Why does February have 28 days?
A: February has 28 days because of how the calendar was created. It has 29 days in a leap year, which happens every 4 years.

Q: Are month names always capitalized in English?
A: Yes, in English, the names of months are always capitalized.

Quiz – Months of the Year

Choose the correct answer for each question:

1. How many months are in a year?

a) 10
b) 11
c) 12

2. What is the short form of February?

a) Feb.
b) Fer.
c) Fbr.

3. Which month has 28 or 29 days?

a) March
b) February
c) June

4. What month comes after July?

a) June
b) August
c) September

5. Which season includes April?

a) Winter
b) Summer
c) Spring

6. What is the last month of the year?

a) November
b) December
c) October

7. How many months have 30 days?

a) 4
b) 6
c) 5

8. Which month is known for Halloween?

a) October
b) December
c) September

9. What is the short form of November?

a) Nvm.
b) Nov.
c) Nv.

10. What month starts the year?

a) January
b) February
c) March

Quiz Answers

1) 12
2) Feb.
3) February
4) August
5) Spring
6) December
7) 4 (April, June, September, November)
8) October
9) Nov.
10) January