February of 2005 (February 2005)

Writers often insert an unnecessary "of" between a month and a year-"February of 2005"-when the concise form "February 2005" is standard. Below: clear rules, the few exceptions, quick rewrite patterns, and many ready-to-use before/after examples for work, school, and casual writing.

Quick answer

Usually omit "of" between a month and a year: write "February 2005," "June 2012," or "Q4 2020." Keep "of" only in true idioms or when grammar requires it (for example, "the 5th of May," "class of 2023," "the month of May").

Month + year: correct = "March 2010" (not "March of 2010").
Keep "of" for ordinals and fixed phrases: "the 5th of May," "class of 2023."
If month + year modifies a noun, you still usually omit "of": "a March 2010 report."

Why "of" is usually unnecessary

Month + year forms a single temporal expression: "June 2012." A preposition adds no meaning and makes the phrase wordy. Most style guides and formal writing prefer the concise form for clarity and economy.

Correct: "June 2012" - compact and standard.
Unnecessary: "June of 2012" - redundant in most contexts.

Wrong: February of 2005
Right: February 2005

Common exceptions and regional quirks

Keep "of" when a head noun needs a complement ("the month of May") or in many ordinal date patterns ("the 5th of May"). Some idioms also require "of": "class of 2023." Spoken English sometimes inserts "of" for rhythm; written prose should favor the short form unless the phrase is idiomatic or ordinal.

Keep "of": "the 5th of May", "the month of June", "class of 2023".
Prefer omission: "May 2018", "June 5, 2018" (American style).

Usage: the 5th of May
Usage: class of 2023
Usage: the month of May

Real usage and tone: when "of" sounds conversational

"Of" can add a conversational or narrative tone: "I remember August of 1997 like it was yesterday." That works in memoirs, interviews, or dialogue, but looks informal in reports, emails, or academic writing.

Keep conversational "of" for voice: memoirs, blogs, and dialogue.
Use the concise form for professional and academic tone.

Casual - Wrong: Back in January of last year we lost power for a week.
Casual - Right: Back in January last year we lost power for a week.
Casual - Wrong: I remember June of 1999 - it changed everything.
Casual - Right: I remember June 1999 - it changed everything.

Fix your sentence: step-by-step rewrites

Quick edit rules: 1) Remove "of" between month and year. 2) If the result sounds awkward, use "in" + month + year, move the date, or change to a compound modifier. 3) Keep "of" only for ordinals or idioms.

Below are many ready-to-use rewrites for different contexts.

Remove "of": "July of 2019" → "July 2019."
Use "in" or reorder if needed: "in July 2019" or "a July 2019 report."
Keep "of" only for ordinals or established idioms.

Rewrite: Due to budget cuts in March of 2017, we reduced staff → Due to budget cuts in March 2017, we reduced staff.
Rewrite: The festival, held in the month of July 2015, drew a crowd → The festival, held in July 2015, drew a crowd.
Rewrite: Her fellowship (awarded in the month of December 2014) allowed her to study abroad → Her fellowship (awarded in December 2014) allowed her to study abroad.
Rewrite: Report for February of 2005 attached. → February 2005 report attached.
Rewrite: We closed the store in the month of August 2010. → We closed the store in August 2010.
Rewrite: The survey (conducted in March of 2019) included 2,000 responses. → The survey (conducted in March 2019) included 2,000 responses.

Examples you can copy: work, school, and casual

Use the right-hand examples for formal writing; the left-hand wrong forms are common in speech but avoid them in professional or academic text.

Work examples: reports, emails, financials.
School examples: essays, transcripts, references.
Casual examples: texts, social posts, conversations.

Work - Wrong: The meeting is scheduled for September of 2021.
Work - Right: The meeting is scheduled for September 2021.
Work - Wrong: Q4 of 2020 results showed a 12% drop.
Work - Right: Q4 2020 results showed a 12% drop.
Work - Wrong: Report for February of 2005 attached.
Work - Right: February 2005 report attached.
School - Wrong: Her essay, written in May of 2019, won an award.
School - Right: Her essay, written in May 2019, won an award.
School - Wrong: He graduated in the month of June 2018.
School - Right: He graduated in June 2018.
School - Wrong: The assignment was submitted in November of 2020.
School - Right: The assignment was submitted in November 2020.
Casual - Wrong: I moved in June of 2012.
Casual - Right: I moved in June 2012.
Casual - Wrong: I started in August of '99.
Casual - Right: I started in August '99.
Casual - Wrong: Back in January of last year we had the same problem.
Casual - Right: Back in January last year we had the same problem.
Work - Wrong: Our fiscal year (starting in the month of July 2017) shifted priorities.
Work - Right: Our fiscal year (starting in July 2017) shifted priorities.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence rather than the isolated phrase. If removing "of" keeps the meaning and grammar intact, the shorter form is usually best.

Hyphenation, spacing, and numeric conventions

Hyphenate when a compound modifier includes a decade or year: "early-2005 draft," "mid-2000s style." Do not hyphenate plain month + year: "April 2016 report." Do not place a comma between month and year: "July 2019." In American style, use a comma after the day: "July 14, 2019."

Compound modifier: "an early-2005 draft" (hyphen).
No hyphen for plain month + year before a noun: "April 2016 report."
Comma after day (US): "April 4, 2016." No comma for month + year alone: "April 2016."

Usage: a March 2010 report
Usage: mid-2005 recession
Wrong: February, 2005
Right: February 2005

Grammar deep dive: why English allows month + year without "of"

Month + year forms a temporal noun phrase where the month modifies the year. The modifier-head relationship is clear without a preposition, so no linker is required: "February 2005." When a month is the head noun, a complement is needed: "the month of March." Ordinal dates often use "of" in British patterns: "the 7th of June."

Use "of" when a head noun requires a complement: "the month of March."
Drop "of" when month + year form a single time expression: "March 2010."

Usage: the month of March
Usage: March 2010

Similar mistakes to watch for

Nearby errors include unnecessary commas and wrong prepositions. Apply the same test: remove the extra element and read aloud-if meaning or grammar breaks, keep it; otherwise remove it.

Wrong: "February, 2005" →
Right: "February 2005."
Wrong: "on June 2011" →
Right: "in June 2011" or "June 2011."
Don't change correct idioms: "class of 2023," "the 7th of June."

Wrong: on June 2011
Right: in June 2011
Wrong: February, 2005
Right: February 2005

Memory trick & quick edits

Mnemonic: "MonthYear = one time idea, no 'of' inside." If month and year sit together as the date, drop "of."

Batch-fix tips: search for patterns like " of 19" and " of 20" and review hits. A simple regex (adjusted for your tool) helps spot candidates: \b(January|February|March|April|May|June|July|August|September|October|November|December)\s+of\s+\d{2,4}\b - replace with the month and year without "of."

Quick check: remove "of" and see if the sentence still reads naturally.
Regex hint: search for "\b(January|February|...|December) of \d{2,4}\b" to find candidates.
Keep "of" when a head noun appears ("month," "class") or in ordinal forms.

Tip: Search for " of 20" and check each occurrence - most will become " 20" (remove "of").
Tip: If you see "the 5th of" leave it - it's usually correct.

FAQ

Should I write "June of 2015" or "June 2015"?

Write "June 2015" in formal writing. "June of 2015" is common in speech but unnecessary in most written contexts unless it's a fixed idiom or ordinal pattern.

Is "the 5th of May" incorrect?

No. "The 5th of May" is a correct ordinal date and is especially common in British English. American English often prefers "May 5."

Do you put a comma between month and year?

No comma is needed for month + year alone: "April 2016." Use a comma only when a day appears in American style: "April 4, 2016."

When is it correct to use "of" with dates?

Use "of" for constructions like "the month of May," ordinal dates ("the 5th of November"), and idioms like "class of 2023." Otherwise, prefer "Month Year."

How do I fix sentences in bulk that use "of" with dates?

Search your document for patterns like " of 20" or " of 19" and review each hit. Most cases need only the removal of "of." If phrasing feels awkward, move the date, use "in" + month + year, or rework the clause.

Want to check a sentence quickly?

Run suspect phrases through a grammar checker to catch unnecessary "of"s and other small errors. Try a quick check on a paragraph and apply the pattern until it becomes automatic.