Prepositions of time are used to describe the time of happening things. The words like at, on, and in show us when something occurs. These words help us be clear about when things are going to happen or when they happened. Knowing how to use them well makes it easier to talk about schedules, appointments, or even just what day it is. So, understanding these words makes it simpler to talk about time.
Prepositions of Time In, At, and On In English
What is Prepositions of Time?
Prepositions of time are words that are used to build the relationship between a noun (usually a time expression) and other elements in a sentence. These prepositions help us to specify when something happens.
- He arrived at noon.
- They will leave in an hour.
- The meeting is on Monday.
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 |
| 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 |
Common Expressions about Time:
| 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. |
Note: that in some varieties of English people say “on the weekend” and “on Christmas.
Common Expressions about Time:
| 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) |
This organization helps understand when to use each preposition of time accurately.
Preposition of Time Examples:
- I have a meeting at 9 am.
- 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?
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