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Where is it appropriate to insert the definite article in a date? For example, how would I say that something will be delivered on Thursday, the 9th of July?

For example, are the following sentences idiomatic? I have placed the words I am unsure about in uppercase.

  1. Something will be delivered THE Thursday THE 09/07

  2. We will complete this task THE Monday THE 01/08.

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  • 1
    It depends on the context. Can you provide more context?
    – phoog
    Jul 9, 2015 at 19:05
  • Hi Phoog. For example I have to say two sentences:1) something will be delivered THE tursday THE 09/07. 2) we will complete this task THE monday THE 01/08. In uppercase my doubts
    – DP78
    Jul 9, 2015 at 19:09
  • Edit your question, don't add the information in a comment.
    – phoog
    Jul 9, 2015 at 19:10
  • Are you asking about spoken or written English? If you are asking about written, all of your THEs should be left out. Not only are they not necessary, they are not allowable. Jul 10, 2015 at 9:46

3 Answers 3

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In general, when referring to a date without a year, there are two common approaches

July 12th

and

the 12th of July

In general, when referring to a weekday without further modifier, the is not used

I will see you on Monday.

and

I need that report by Monday.

However, when you are referring to a particular day of the week, but indicating which one of the many possible instances of that day by adding a modifying phrase, the often (but not always) precedes the day

I will see you on the Monday after next.

and

I will see you on the first Monday of every month.

When you combine a reference to a date with a reference to the weekday that date falls on, the weekday is not usually further defined, so

I will see you on Monday, July 12th.

and

I Will see you on Monday, the 12th of July.

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The first "the" in both sentences is unnecessary. You could use "by" instead of them.

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Spoken aloud, those should be:

Something will be delivered on Thursday, the 7th of August.

We will complete this task on Monday, the 8th of January.

To say that the events are expected to happen at some point during those days and at no other time.

In writing, you could contract that to:

Something will be delivered on Thursday, 09/07.

We will complete the task on Monday, 01/08.

In both cases, you may choose to say 'by' instead of 'on', which would instead indicate that the task may be finished sooner, but will in any case delivered no later than the indicated date.

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