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 |
in |
on |
| PRECISE TIME |
MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS |
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 night. |
| at the weekend |
I don't usually work at the weekend. |
| at Christmas/Easter |
I stay with my family at Christmas. |
| at the same time |
We finished the test at the same time. |
| at present |
He's not home at present. Try later. |
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 afternoons |
| in the evening(s) |
on Monday evening |
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)
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