Prepositional Phrases of Time

preposition of time

By Teacher LPKP

Prepositions of Time - at, in, on

We use:

• at for a PRECISE TIME

• in for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS

• on for DAYS and DATES

at PRECISE TIME	in MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS	on DAYS and DATES
at 3 o'clock	in May	on Sunday
at 10.30am	in summer	on Tuesdays
at noon	in the summer	on 6 March
at dinnertime	in 1990	on 25 Dec. 2010
at bedtime	in the 1990s	on Christmas Day
at sunrise	in the next century	on Independence Day
at sunset	in the Ice Age	on my birthday
at the moment	in the past/future	on New Year's Eve

​

​Look at these examples:

• I have a meeting at 9am.

• The shop closes at midnight.

• Jane went home at lunchtime.

• In England, it often snows in December.

• Do you think we will go to Jupiter in the future?

• There should be a lot of progress in the next century.

• Do you work on Mondays?

• Her birthday is on 20 November.

• Where will you be on New Year's Day?

​Notice the use of the preposition of time at in the following standard expressions:

Expression	Example
at night	The stars shine
at the weekend*	I don't usually work
at Christmas*/Easter	I stay with my family
at the same time	We finished the test
at present	He's not home

*Note that in some varieties of English people say "on the weekend" and "on Christmas".

​Notice the use of the prepositions of time in and on in these common expressions:

in	on
in the morning	on Tuesday morning
in the mornings	on Saturday mornings
in the afternoon(s)	on Sunday afternoon(s)
in the evening(s)	on Monday evening(s)

When we say last, next, every, this we do not also use at, in, on.

• I went to London last June. (not in last June)

• He's coming back next Tuesday. (not on next Tuesday)

• I go home every Easter. (not at every Easter)

• We'll call you this evening. (not in this evening)

Multiple Choice

The weather is often terrible ______ London.

• at

• on

• in

• during

Multiple Choice

It's better to get taxi if you are out ______ night.

• at

• on

• in

• during

Multiple Choice

She got married ______ September.

• at

• on

• in

• during

Multiple Choice

They usually go to the south of France ______ the summer.

• at

• on

• in

• during

Multiple Choice

I graduated from university ______2011.

• at

• on

• in

• during

Multiple Choice

We met at the restaurant ______8pm.

• at

• on

• in

• during

Multiple Choice

I had a party ______ my birthday.

• at

• on

• in

• during