Question

which of the following is the correct dateline for a business letter?

multiple choice

• aug. 20 2015
• 8/20/2015
• august 20, 2015
• aug. 20, 2015
• august, 20, 2015

Explanation:

Identify standard business letter formatting rules

In professional business correspondence, the dateline must follow a specific, formal standard. The month must be fully spelled out rather than abbreviated (e.g., "August" instead of "Aug.").

Evaluate numerical and punctuation rules

The day of the month is written as a cardinal number, followed immediately by a comma, and then the full four-digit year. No comma should separate the month and the day.

Analyze the given options

• "Aug. 20 2015": Incorrect because the month is abbreviated and the comma separating the day and year is missing.
• "8/20/2015": Incorrect because all-numeric formats are considered too informal for standard business letters.
• "August 20, 2015": Correct because the month is fully spelled out, the day is a cardinal number, and a comma correctly separates the day and the year.
• "Aug. 20, 2015": Incorrect because the month is abbreviated.
• "August, 20, 2015": Incorrect because there is an unnecessary comma placed between the month and the day.

Answer:

• (A) Aug. 20 2015
• (B) 8/20/2015
• (C) August 20, 2015 (Correct answer)
• (D) Aug. 20, 2015
• (E) August, 20, 2015