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Prepositions of Time
Prepositions of Time (At, In, On)
The prepositions "at," "in," and "on" are regularly used in time expressions. For example:"At" is used for precise times.
- at 4 o'clock
- at midnight
- at sunrise
- at the moment
"On" is used with days and dates.
- on Sunday
- on Wednesdays
- on my birthday
- on 5 November
"In" is used for months, years, centuries (i.e., long periods)
- in June
- in the winter
- in 2022
- in the 19th century

Your Go!
It's your go. Select the correct preposition:More Examples with "At"
"At" is generally used with a short period or a highly accurate expression:- The train arrives at 10 o'clock.
- Jane raised her hand at the same time.
- The birds fly to their roots at sunset.
More Examples with "On"
"On" is generally used with a medium period (often a day or a date) or a fairly accurate expression:- Halloween is on 31 October.
- We have tennis practice on Tuesdays.
- It always seems to rain on New Year's Day.
More Examples with "In"
"In" is generally used with a long period or an inaccurate expression:- We're going to Croatia in January.
- Albert Einstein was born in 1879.
- The telescope was invented in the 17th century.
Set Time Phrases
Here are some set phrases that are not obvious fits for the guidelines presented above.Set Phrases with "At":
Phrase | Example |
---|---|
at any time | You can visit me at any time. |
at dinnertime | Jack will meet you at dinnertime. |
at lunchtime | Where are you going at lunchtime? |
at night | The vampires come out at night. |
at some point | I need to talk to you at some point. |
at that time | I was not working there at that time. |
at this time | At this time, I cannot say why the contract was cancelled. |
Set Phrases with "On":
Phrase | Example |
---|---|
on the hour | The bus comes on the hour. |
on time | The train is on time. |
Set Phrases with "In":
Phrase | Example |
---|---|
in a few days | Let's meet up again in a few days. |
in five minutes | I will arrive in five minutes. |
in the afternoon | It is going to rain in the afternoon. |
in the evening | In the evening, I normally study. |
in the future | Will robots rule the world in the future? |
in the morning | The robin always sings loudly in the morning. |
in the past | In the past, I owned a horse. |
No Preposition
Some set phrases have no preposition.Set Phrases with No Preposition:
Phrase | Example |
---|---|
a week ago | I was in London a week ago. |
a year from now | I wonder what I'll be doing a year from now. |
the day after tomorrow | She will meet you the day after tomorrow. |
the day before yesterday | I was paid the day before yesterday. |
later | See you later. |
long ago | Long ago, people lived in these huts. |
nowadays | Nowadays, nobody eats the carp in these lakes. |
recently | I was in Scotland recently. |
soon | I will call you soon. |
today | She will sign the contract today. |
tomorrow | We're all going to the zoo tomorrow. |
Adjective | Example |
---|---|
every | I have tennis practice |
last | We went to Italy |
most | She trains |
next | We are working in New York |
this | Where are you going |
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