Standard time, daylight saving time

On this page

• Standard time
• Daylight saving time
• Other names for daylight saving time
• “Daylight Time” in names of time zones
• Capitalization
• Additional information

Standard time

Standard time is the name for the officially established time prevailing in most of North America from early November to mid-March.

• Many farmers would prefer to stay on standard time all year.

Daylight saving time

Daylight saving is the practice of turning the clocks forward one hour to take advantage of the longer days.

• Because the sun rises earlier in summer, daylight saving helps extend the day.

Daylight saving time (abbreviated DST) is therefore the officially established time prevailing from mid-March to early November in most of North America. Note that the Yukon and most of Saskatchewan, as well as certain places in British Columbia, Quebec and Nunavut, don’t observe daylight saving time. Instead, they stay on standard time all year long.

Other names for daylight saving time

In North America, daylight saving time is the preferred term, especially in formal writing. The term daylight time is also used.

The term daylight savings time (with an s) is listed in several dictionaries, because it is common usage. However, it should be noted that this term is grammatically incorrect: the plural form savings is a noun referring to a collection of things saved, whereas the singular form saving is a participle referring to the act of saving something. For this reason, a number of style guides advise against using the plural form.

On other continents, this time shift is known as summer time.

When referring to the time shift, use the two-word spelling summer time:

• When Britain is on summer time, it can get up to 16 hours of sunlight.

When referring to the season, use the one-word spelling summertime:

• In summertime, Canadians flock to their cottages.

“Daylight Time” in names of time zones

During daylight saving, we use Daylight Time in the name of time zones (for example: Atlantic Daylight Time, not Atlantic Daylight Saving Time).

• In summer, Saskatchewan remains on Central Standard Time, so when it’s 6 p.m. in Saskatoon, it’s also 6 p.m. in Calgary, where Mountain Daylight Time is in effect.

Capitalization

The terms standard time and daylight saving time, as well as any synonyms of daylight saving time, are treated as common nouns and written in lowercase.

• The mnemonic “spring forward, fall back” reminds us to turn the clocks forward one hour in the spring when we move to daylight saving time and back one hour in the fall when move to standard time.

Names of time zones are usually treated as proper nouns and capitalized. So, standard time and daylight time are usually capitalized when they appear in the name of a time zone (for example: Newfoundland Standard Time, Newfoundland Daylight Time).

Additional information

• Abbreviations: Time zones
• Atlantic Daylight Time, Atlantic Standard Time, ADT, AST
• Central Daylight Time, Central Standard Time, CDT, CST
• Eastern Daylight Time, Eastern Standard Time, EDT, EST
• Mountain Daylight Time, Mountain Standard Time, MDT, MST
• Newfoundland Daylight Time, Newfoundland Standard Time, NDT, NST
• Pacific Daylight Time, Pacific Standard Time, PDT, PST