Should there be a space between 1 and pm?

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Nurfarisha Binte Mohammad Izzam was last seen in the vicinity of Block 626 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, at about 1pm on Dec 19, the police said.

Should there be a space between 1 and pm? Thanks.

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2

I don’t know if there is a rule. I see it both ways, but I think a space is more common.

Some style guides call for periods.
1 p.m.

It seems to me that I see it without periods most of the time.

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3

Nurfarisha Binte Mohammad Izzam was last seen around 1 p.m. on December 19 near Block 626 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, police said.

4

We see too many variants. :thinking:

  • 1pm
  • 1 pm
  • 1 p.m.
  • 01 pm
  • 01 p.m.
  • 01:00 pm
  • 1PM
  • 1 PM
  • 1 P.M.
  • 01 PM
  • 01 P.M.
  • 01:00 PM
    We had better find and fix the generally/universally acceptable format!
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5

Yes, the space is necessary.

Recently, I had to write about this aspect in my column being published in a newspaper. Here it goes:

The following sentences are acceptable.

  1. Yesterday I received a telephone call at 11.00 PM.
  2. I received a telephone call at 11.00 pm yesterday.
  3. I received a telephone call at 11 o’clock last night.
  • PM (pm) means Post Meridiem and AM (am) Ante Meridiem.
  • Both upper case and lower case (PM and pm) are acceptable. So are AM and am.
  • The period or the full stop after each letter – A.M. or a.m. – is avoided nowadays.
  • The abbreviated forms in capital letters are formal.
  • The expression o’clock means of the clock.
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6

The o’ prefix is somewhat common. It means of or sometimes on. It’s very common in Irish names, such as O’Leary, O’Reilly, O’Fallon, O’Donnell, etc. It’s similar to the son suffix in Johnson, Morrison, etc.

Jack-o’-lantern
Will-o’-wisp
Cat-o’-nine tails

When you see it used, you can assume it’s of Old English or Irish origin.

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