How to write time zones

Style manuals differ in their recommendations: The Chicago Manual of Style, followed in U.S. book publishing, recommends lowercasing them. In contrast, the AP Stylebook suggests capitalizing the full forms of time zones. Choose a style and follow it consistently across a document.

Spell out “time zone” in references not accompanied by a clock reading. For example, Chicago is in the Central time zone. The abbreviations EST, CDT, etc., are acceptable on first reference for zones used within the continental United States, Canada, and Mexico only if the abbreviation is linked with a clock reading.

Central Standard Time Lowercase all but the region in short forms. For example, the Eastern time zone Eastern time Mountain time See AP Style Time of Dayfor guidelines on when to use clock time in a story. Spell out “time zone” in references not accompanied by a clock reading. For example, Chicago is in the Central time zone.

Timezone is defined as a geographical area or region throughout which standard time is observed. It basically refers to the local time of a region or country. Most of the time zones are offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the world’s standard for time zone.