grammar - Comma usage: "In July of 2012 ..." or "In July of 2012, ..."


Consider the following sentence:



In July of 2012 Jesse informed us that she was engaged to be married and asked if she could add her fiancée to the lease, beginning the 15th of August 2012.



Is it any more or less correct to place a comma after the first date?



In July of 2012, Jesse informed us that she was engaged to be married and asked if she could add her fiancée to the lease, beginning the 15th of August 2012.



Assuming one is no more correct than the other, does this change the meaning of the sentence, or is it pure style?


Bonus question: Word tells me that it's improper to place a comma after the "August" at the end of the sentence. I've always been taught that a comma should be used to separate the year from the rest of the date. Was I taught wrong, or is Word lying to me?



Answer



The sentence is correct with or without the comma. But the comma introduces a break/pause, which can be helpful in a longer sentence, and personally I would include it.


As regards formatting of the date, British usage used to be to separate month & year with a comma, but more recent usage omits the comma. (I can't speak for US usage, although I suspect that the comma is more likely to be included.)


In any event, for both questions, it is primarily a matter of style: there is no right or wrong way for either point.


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